


Time of your life

by Tamburlaine



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Road Trip, Anal Sex, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Dirty Talk, Dom/sub Undertones, Explicit Sexual Content, Gratuitous Smut, Hyung Kink, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Plot With Porn, Road Trips, Semi-Public Sex, Shower Sex, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:09:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 33,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21561985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tamburlaine/pseuds/Tamburlaine
Summary: San never expected to meet the cutie who had left after a mind-blowing night without saying goodbye again. But when said cutie stumbles into him on the street, San doesn't think twice about heading for the road with him. Sex and stupid ideas are just what he needs to escape his issues, and maybe he can figure out what Wooyoung is escaping from on the way.Translation available in Russianhere
Relationships: Choi San/Jung Wooyoung
Comments: 275
Kudos: 812





	1. Chapter 1

San couldn’t wait to clock off his shift and take the cutie with the bubble butt home. It was nearing three o’clock and the bar was absolutely packed. Despite the loud customers clamoring for his attention across the counter, San checked up on the bachelor party periodically.

They had a table for themselves next to the dance floor. The champagne bottle had been turned upside down in the cooler on their table to signal that it was empty, and if San had had a second’s rest, he would have used it as an excuse to visit them.

Surprisingly, he couldn’t tell who the bride or groom was. They were all in party clothes; tight dresses and bedazzled jackets, but he hadn’t been able to spot a sash or a tiara or anything else tacky to signal out anyone.

But after the shorty with the hanging earrings had caught his eye, San hadn’t really cared.

After he had come by to order a tray of shots for the party an hour ago or so, the cutie had stayed with his friends. San sometimes caught sight of him on the dance floor, and their eyes had met once. San wasn’t shy about showing his interest, knowing that he looked good in the dark of the club with his lined eyes and sharp jaw, and the cutie had smiled when San had winked at him.

San pushed two long island ice teas across the counter and grabbed the bill from the customer. He dropped the change into their tip jar with a smile, then glanced toward the bachelor party before anyone else could demand his attention. 

The cutie was on the dance floor being twirled around by a tall guy with a toothy smile. San imagined he could hear the laugh that was plastered all over the cutie's face. He still had ten minutes left of his shift, and Yunho would probably be late as usual, and San’s hands were itching to wrap around something else than a cocktail glass. 

Uncountable drinks made later, Yunho finally showed up. He apologized quickly before getting to work, and San slipped into the backroom. He got changed, a bit regretful that all he had to put on was a simple black t-shirt, and strode into the club, eyes scanning the dance floor until he found him.

San dodged elbows and dancing bodies as he pushed his way to the cutie. He placed his hands on his waist, and the cutie leaned back against San's chest, wiggled his butt against San's crotch.

"Mind if I join you?" Even without lowering his voice, San had to speak right against the cutie's ear to be heard. His lips graced the shell of his ear, and the cutie pulled away and turned around.

The glitter around his eyes had run down his cheekbones, and his hair was plastered to his forehead. There was sweat glistening on his throat, and San nearly licked his lips. He looked delectable but also unfortunately unreceptive to San's advances.

"Sorry", the cutie said and glanced back at his friends.

San raised his hands in surrender and stepped back. "Okay", he mouthed, knowing that the cutie couldn't hear him over the bass anyway. San could feel eyes on him when he walked toward the door, resigned to go home alone. He had been looking forward to undressing the cutie and getting his mouth on him for hours, but San could always take care of himself.

He was barely around the corner down the street when he felt someone grab him by the elbow. He turned around, ready to tell the drunk to fuck off, but his expression softened when he recognized the cutie.

“Back there, I couldn’t when my friends were watching”, the cutie said. His eyes were wide and reflected the street lights. San smiled to encourage him, hope stirring in his chest. “They would judge.”

“I don’t.”

The cutie bit his lip. “Then take me home.”

“What did you tell your friends?”

“That I was going home.”

“Not technically a lie then.”

San smiled when the cutie stepped closer and hesitantly slipped his hand under San’s jacket, placed it on his hip. The glitter around his eyes and on his cheekbones sparkled under the street lights. He licked his lips, then pressed them against San’s.

San wrapped his hand around the cutie’s neck and kissed him deeper until he relaxed. The grip on San’s waist tightened, and San pulled back.

“What’s your name?”

“Wooyoung.”

“Come home with me, Wooyoung-ah.”

They barely made it into a taxi, unwilling to let go of each other. Wooyoung had let go of his hesitancy once he’d agreed to go with San. His kisses were hungry, his touches bordering on public indecency. When San gave the address to the driver, Wooyoung’s mouth left wet trails on his neck.

San tipped his head back and groped Wooyoung’s ass, happy to finally get his hands on it. He could feel Wooyoung nip at his skin and bit his lips so that he wouldn’t be rude and tell the driver to hurry.

“Impatient, aren’t you?” he muttered instead. He could feel Wooyoung’s lips pull into a smile before latching onto San’s neck and leaving a mark there.

San paid the driver and pulled Wooyoung by the waist into his side. There was a keypad by the door of the highrise, but when Wooyoung didn’t give San the space to punch in the code, San pushed him against the glass door, hands on his chest.

“Unless you want me to take you here where anyone can see, you need to stop distracting me for a second.”

Wooyoung grinned, lips red and shiny. “You are no fun.”

San bit back a growl. His right hand inched towards Wooyoung’s neck, and Wooyoung’s breathing quickened.

“I’ll show you fun. Once we are inside.”

San punched in the code correctly on the second try. He hurried Wooyoung into the lobby and then the elevator and kissed him breathless the whole way to his floor. They stumbled out of the elevator and managed to make it to San’s door without tripping over each other. San closed the door behind himself and when he turned around, Wooyoung had already shrugged off his jacket and dropped it on the floor.

“Now can we have fun?” Wooyoung asked, and San shoved him against the wall. Wooyoung moaned against his lips when San forced his hands inside Wooyoung’s tight jeans to grab his ass and rub their crotches together.

Their lips parted when Wooyoung pulled off his shirt, and San took a second to admire his tan skin, his clean chest that rose with heavy breaths, and the jeweled choker around his neck.

Impatiently, San pushed Wooyoung’s jeans down. Wooyoung almost tripped kicking his shoes off and stepping out of them, but San held him up with a bruising grip on his waist.

Wooyoung was hard and dripping, and San smirked at him before falling onto his knees. He licked the length of Wooyoung’s cock and pressed his palm against his own. His jeans felt too tight, but San ignored it for now. He hadn’t even gotten out of his jacket yet.

“I don’t think I can last for long”, Wooyoung said, voice breathy.

San licked him again. “That’s alright, cutie. We’ve got the whole night.”

San swallowed him down and didn’t let up, high on the salty taste on his tongue and the moans in his ears. He held Wooyoung still by his hips, head cloudy with how turned on he was. Eager, handsy, impatient Wooyoung had become completely compliant under his ministrations.

It only took a few minutes for Wooyoung to come. San swallowed and got back on his feet to kiss the last moans off Wooyoung’s lips.

“How was that for fun?” San teased and tugged at his bottom lip. Wooyoung giggled and looked at San through his dark lashes.

“It was moderately entertaining.”

“‘Moderately entertaining’ has your knees shaking?” San replied and picked him up. Wooyoung locked his ankles behind San’s back, wrapped his arms around San’s neck and nipped at his ear. “I can’t wait to see what you look like when you’re having the time of your life.”

“Are you going to give that to me?”

San didn’t bother turning on any lights as he carried Wooyoung to his bedroom. The moon was shining in through the window, illuminating the large bed and the clean desk.

San dropped Wooyoung onto the covers and watched him shuffle higher up until his head hit the pillows. He turned around, looked at San over his shoulder and wiggled his butt.

“Well?”

There were a few condoms and a bottle of lube in the bedside drawer, and San threw them on the bed before crawling over to Wooyoung. He slapped his butt lightly, massaged it before pressing his thumb against Wooyoung’s hole, not breaching it yet. Wooyoung’s mouth fell open and his eyes fluttered closed.

“I’ll fuck you so good you’ll never forget it.”

“Get to it then.”

San chuckled and uncapped the lube. He should have guessed what a brat Wooyoung would be by the teasing once-over he had received at the club before Wooyoung had slinked away to his friends.

San preferred them bratty anyway.

He pushed in the first finger without further preamble and hummed in satisfaction when Wooyoung’s head dropped. His knees slid wider apart to accommodate San better, and San pushed in further.

“No more smart remarks?” San trailed kisses along Wooyoung’s spine until he reached his neck. The clasp of the choker was cold against his lips, and he dug his teeth into Wooyoung’s neck above it.

Wooyoung jerked away.

“No marks.”

“Okay.” San kissed the spot he’d teased. The red would fade by the time they were done. It was a shame, San thought. Bruises would have looked gorgeous on Wooyoung.

Wooyoung pushed his ass higher, clenched around San’s finger. “But more. Please, hyung.”

San’s eyebrows raised in surprise, but he quickly gathered himself and hummed teasingly. He added another finger.

“Marks or no, everyone will know how good I gave it to you tonight.”

Wooyoung moaned. “How so?”

“Because you’ll be limping next week”, San murmured and scissored his fingers until Wooyoung was hard again.

After three fingers Wooyoung’s smart mouth was only capable of producing moans and whimpers. San could have fingered him forever, and when Wooyoung’s thighs started shaking he decided to keep going. He managed to fit in a fourth finger.

“Are you going to come again?” he teased. “When I haven’t even gotten undressed yet? How rude.”

He crooked his fingers and Wooyoung’s protests got cut off by a moan. San pressed harder. Wooyoung twisted his neck and San leaned in to kiss him when he came. San kept going until Wooyoung rolled over, pulling San’s fingers out.

He was breathing heavily. San stroked his lubed fingers over Wooyoung’s stomach and watched him shiver. His dick was pulsing against the zipper of his jeans and San was sure if he didn’t get to it soon, he would come in his boxers.

“Can I fuck you?”

San really hoped he hadn’t pushed Wooyoung too far. That Wooyoung wasn’t feeling oversensitive, or that he was satisfied enough to leave and force San to take care of himself.

But Wooyoung smiled and let his thighs fall open.

“Thought you’d never ask.”

San scrambled for the condom while Wooyoung tugged his jacket off his shoulders. They laughed as they struggled with the belt, but eventually, San was naked and Wooyoung was ready, legs spread and eyes shining as they raked over San’s body.

“You’re so fucking sexy, hyung.”

San huffed, pleased, and lined up his dick with Wooyoung’s hole. He pushed in slowly and kept his eyes on Wooyoung’s face. San didn’t notice they had both held their breath until he bottomed out, and they breathed out. Wooyoung pulled him closer and kissed him hungrily.

“Feels so good”, he mumbled against San’s lips.

San had been waiting for too long to be able to hold back. Wooyoung was tight and warm around him, and his moans were mouthwatering. To keep away from the temptation of covering Wooyoung’s neck with love bites, San pressed his forehead against the pillow under Wooyoung’s head and began moving his hips.

He fucked Wooyoung deep and hard, picking up his speed when he felt his stomach tighten. He didn’t want to come so fast, but it felt impossible to stop it. He hiked up one of Wooyoung’s legs, arm underneath his knee, and groaned when there was no resistance.

Of course Wooyoung would be flexible as well.

“You are fucking perfect”, San groaned and increased the speed of his thrusts. Wooyoung moaned in reply, for once speechless, only spurring San on all the more. San kissed him, bit his bottom lip, just to keep from biting his neck.

When he came, his hips stuttered, and San stayed buried until the last drop was in the condom. His lips were still grazing Wooyoung’s, and they were breathing the same air.

With a groan, San laid down next to him. He pulled Wooyoung closer by the hips so that they could keep kissing while calming down.

Unsurprisingly, Wooyoung spoke first.

“That was pretty fun.”

San chuckled and kissed him again. Wooyoung was pliant against him, beautiful and sweaty, wearing nothing but the diamond choker and the remnants of his own release on his stomach.

“It was.”

“Do you know what else is fun?” The teasing lilt was back in Wooyoung’s voice, and San raised an eyebrow and waited. Wooyoung licked into his mouth one last time before pushing San on his back and shuffling down the bed.

San didn’t protest when Wooyoung pulled off the condom sloppily, making a mess of San’s crotch. Wooyoung tossed the condom onto the floor and nosed San’s thigh, looking up at him with a smirk.

“Go on then”, San said and kept his eyes open and fixed on Wooyoung, who lapped up the come before taking San’s rapidly hardening cock into his mouth. San groaned and reached down to card his fingers through Wooyoung’s hair.

At some point during the night, San had been feeling tired, but right now, with Wooyoung swallowing him down his throat, sleep was the furthest from San’s list of things he wanted to do. He doubted they’d be getting any sleep for a while.

Wooyoung didn’t let San come, instead riding him until his thighs shook and he reached his third orgasm. Then San fucked him so hard his moans were loud enough to wake up the neighbors, and before they fell asleep they went one more round, slow this time, taking the time to taste and touch until the other’s body felt familiar like a long-time lover’s.

Eventually, they did fall asleep, exhausted and wrapped around each other. When San woke up the following morning, the sun was high in the sky and his bed was empty. He got up to use the bathroom. Wooyoung’s shoes were gone, and there was no note left on the kitchen table.

San got back into bed and ignored the disappointment in his chest, hoping that it would be gone by the time he woke up again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome!
> 
> I haven't added a final chapter count yet, because otherwise, I'll keep changing it all the time haha. But I have the whole thing outlined so I'd guess at 6-10 chapters. Stick around for the road trip and budding feelings!
> 
> I've got a finished woosan pwp if you want to read that while you wait for an update :* but comment if you liked this (or didn't!) so that I know someone is interested. Otherwise, I'll just entertain myself with sex and shenanigans!


	2. Chapter 2

San shut the cabinet with a dark sigh. He had finished the inventory and ordered new boxes of whatever they had been running out of, and there was nothing more that he needed to do. They’d be fine until he returned.

Yunho was behind the counter when San stepped out of the office. He was restocking the shelves, belting out the lyrics of one of the songs the DJ played on repeat every evening. His singing echoed across the empty dance floor.

“Are you sure you don’t need me?” San asked and leaned against the counter. “I could just cancel.”

“No way.” Yunho turned the Jack Daniel’s bottle so that the label faced outward. “We’ll be fine.”

“But if Soojin calls sick or the kegs run out—”

“San. Stop stalling and leave already.” Yunho pushed San’s elbows off the counter and pointed at the door. “This place will still be running when you come back.”

San remembered the fire he had put out three weeks earlier after someone smoked in the bathroom and dropped the cigarette into the trash, but bit his tongue instead of protesting.

Yunho was right, as usual.

“Alright. Just, you know, call me if there’s anything.”

“We will.” Yunho smiled and nodded toward the door. “See you in the week after next.”

“See you.”

It was a sunny day. San put his sunglasses on when he stepped outside. The street was calm, with most of the neon-colored bars and clubs, loud restaurants and fast food joints and noraebangs closed at this time. An older man was sweeping the gutters on the other side of the street.

San got in his car, a black and loud Mustang. His bag was in the trunk but he needed to fill up the tank before he could hit the road. He shuffled out of his leather jacket and threw it into the backseat before starting the car.

It roared when he pushed on the gas, and San turned the music louder.

He wasn’t in a hurry, so instead of driving straight to the highway, he steered the car toward a nicer neighborhood with his favorite coffee shop. He almost never visited but he thought he deserved a hazelnut latte in preparation for the long drive.

It took half an hour to make it from Hongdae to Gangnam in the lazy Sunday traffic. San drove with the window down, already resigned that he wouldn’t get as far today as he had been planning to. His morning had been slow, and he’d gone over the inventory two times more than he would have needed to, and now the impromptu trip for an overpriced latte.

San couldn’t kid himself that he was excited to go.

He parked in the first spot he could find within a couple of blocks of the coffee shop. Walking leisurely, he peeked inside the closed brand shops and fancy western-style brunch places and the smartly dressed people inside them. San felt a little out of place and pushed his sunglasses higher up his nose.

A couple tugging along their two children slowed his walk. The brim of the mother’s hat was wide enough to make passing them impossible. The children were dressed in suits, and San overheard the father scold them for making them late for the wedding. San shook his head and breathed out of relief when he reached his coffee shop and could stop trailing behind them.

The coffee shop was on the second floor, full of young people doing their best to look like they were not suffering from a hangover as they nursed their iced coffees and bubble teas. The barista greeted San cheerfully, and for a second San contemplated staying there to finish his drink.

With a forced smile, he ordered his latte to go. The barista flirted with him, but San ignored her and moved to the end of the counter to wait. When he got his cup, he hurried out, internally debating whether to take a walk around the block before getting back in his car.

He hadn’t expected someone to crash into his back the moment he turned down the street.

San turned around, ready to ask them if they were okay, but his words got stuck in his throat when he recognized the dark eyes glancing up at him.

“Wooyoung?”

It had been a week since he took the cutie home and two days since he last thought about him while he jerked off in the shower before a shift. San had been disappointed that Wooyoung hadn’t stayed until the morning and honestly somewhat insulted as well. He had thought he would have deserved a goodbye at least if not a blowjob after the night they had had.

But he forgot all about his bitterness now, when Wooyoung blinked at him with red-rimmed, glossy eyes.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“Are you okay?” San looked him over for any other signs that he was hurt but except for the tear tracks on his cheeks, he seemed fine. He was wearing a white suit, with diamonds in his ears and on the lapels of his jacket.

“I’m fine.” Wooyoung wiped his eyes but his smile was still shaky. “I just—I can’t be here.”

“I’ve got a car”, San volunteered without thinking. “I’ll take you wherever you need to go.”

Wooyoung laughed wetly but the glimmer of amusement in his eyes was genuine. They weren’t lined by kohl and glitter as they’d been in the club, yet San found them just as beautiful. “You would take me home again?”

“If that’s what you want.”

“Just… take me somewhere.”

“Okay.” San began leading the way to his car, mind scrambling to get a grasp of his new situation. Leaving Wooyoung alone, crying on the street, was never an option. But he had no idea what to do with him now.

Wooyoung didn’t speak while they walked. His shoulders were rigid, and periodically he glanced over his shoulder. He was as far from the bubbly, teasing ball of energy San had met in the club as possible, and it made San only more worried.

They got into San’s car. The radio blared on too loud, and San turned it down before pulling into the traffic.

“Were you at a party?” San asked when they stopped for a red light. Wooyoung had been looking out the window, but he turned his head to see San gesture at his suit.

“Yeah.”

“Did something happen?”

“I just couldn’t stay there any longer.”

San wanted to probe more, but the traffic lights turned to green, and he doubted that Wooyoung would give him an honest answer. So he switched the topic.

“I was actually about to leave Seoul. I need to fill up the tank, so why don’t we do that and then you can tell me where you want me to take you.”

“Where are you going?”

“ Gyeongsan. Home. To my parents.”

Wooyoung’s phone kept buzzing in his pocket. He took it out, hung up the call, and turned it off.

“Why?”

“I’ve got some time off from work”, San said and pulled into a gas station. He parked and got out to fill up the tank. He had promised to be home in the afternoon, but while he waited for the tank to fill, he sent his mother a message to let her know he would be late.

Then he followed Wooyoung’s example and turned his phone off.

“So”, he said when he got back in the car, “where should I take you?”

“Busan.”

“What?”

“I haven’t been to Busan in years.” Wooyoung had his head tilted back, but he turned it enough to smile at San. “You can take me as far as you go and I’ll hitchhike the rest of the way.”

“Are you sure that’s…” San hesitated. It was apparent that Wooyoung was running from something, and San wondered whether he should try to stop him or help him. Or join him. “Are you sure that’s wise?”

The smile slipped off Wooyoung’s face. “Probably not. But I make dumb decisions daily so what’s the difference?”

San shrugged. “Okay then.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.”

The car roared to life, and this time San turned toward the closest highway. He politely ignored it when Wooyoung wiped his eyes for the last time. When they joined the lines of cars speeding out of the city and San pushed on the gas, Wooyoung relaxed in his seat.

Abruptly, he laughed.

“What?” San glanced at him before switching into a faster lane.

“I just realized I don’t know your name.”

“Oh.” San laughed too and reached a hand across the gear shift. “San. Choi San.” Wooyoung took his hand and shook it.

“Nice to meet you, San-hyung.”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-one. November.”

“That makes me just a couple of months older than you.” San was honestly surprised. For some reason, he had expected Wooyoung to be even younger. “There’s no need for hyung.” Despite how much he’d liked hearing the honorific from Wooyoung, he didn’t feel a need for it. At least not outside the bed.

“Okay. San-ah.” With a satisfied smile, Wooyoung picked up the takeaway cup San had forgotten about.

The tension had been wiped away together with Wooyoung’s tears. Wooyoung, after a first careful sip, snapped off the lid and drank freely. San poked his thigh.

“Yah. That was mine.” He didn’t try to take the cup from Wooyoung.

“Yeah, well, you didn’t get me one so we’ll just have to share.”

San laughed and didn’t point out how impossible that would have been. But Wooyoung soon handed him the half-finished latte, and San drank the rest while Wooyoung turned the music louder and began singing along.

He had a lovely voice, and San listened with a smile on his face.

They had long ago lost sight of the skyscrapers in the rearview mirror when San spotted a sign for a roadside mall.

“Do you want lunch?”

Wooyoung nodded, and San switched lanes, uncaring of the angry horns of a huge truck when he cut in front of it.

They parked in front of a chicken place that had seen better days. Wooyoung grimaced at his suit. “I’m going to get sauce all over this.”

“You can borrow something of mine?” San circled the car to the trunk. It was empty except for one bag and a bottle of expensive whiskey he’d taken from work. Wooyoung walked over to San and shrugged out of his jacket.

“Are you sure?”

San dug out a black t-shirt with a faded band logo at the front. “I wouldn’t mind seeing you in my clothes.”

Wooyoung laughed and shoved San lightly in the chest but took the shirt. “I’ll go change in the bathroom. Order for us.”

San followed him into the restaurant with a smirk on his face. He hadn’t meant to be so straightforward, but based on Wooyoung’s blush he didn’t mind. San ordered at the counter before sitting down, and before the food arrived, Wooyoung did, with his dress shirt over his arm, the loose t-shirt tucked in at the front.

“How do I look?” Wooyoung asked and slipped into the seat across from San.

“Like a wet dream.”

“Are you always this flirty?”

“Just with the cute ones.” San hid his smug grin behind a glass of water. Wooyoung’s legs settled against his under the table. “You know… I’ve only got to be back home by Saturday.” His plan had been to drive the day and be in Gyeongsan by evening, but did they really need him yet? Spending more time with Wooyoung was definitely a more attractive option. “I could come with you to Busan.”

“And what would we do?” Wooyoung slid his foot higher along San’s calf.

“Anything you want.”

The waiter brought their food but San barely noticed. They were right back where they had left off on that Saturday night. Wooyoung’s smile held a promise of more mind-blowing sex, and San wondered whether it would be in poor taste to kiss him across the table.

“What if I want to do more dumb things?”

“I don’t know if you can come up with anything dumber than getting in a car with a stranger and letting them drive you out of the city.”

Wooyoung’s foot settled between San’s thighs, the tip of his shoes brushing against San’s crotch. “You underestimate me.”

San laughed. “Okay. Still. Whatever you want. No matter how dumb it is.”

“What if I wanted to take the food with us and blow you in the car right now?”

San gestured to the waiter, who with a grumble took their chicken to pack it up. While they waited, Wooyoung pressed against San’s side, and San slipped a hand under his t-shirt, and going home quickly was the furthest from his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's looking like this will be around 11 chapters, but that might change still! i'll try to update on sundays so u know when to keep an eye out :*
> 
> the plot has started! thoughts? comment below and let me know! <3


	3. Chapter 3

Right there in the public parking lot, Wooyoung had bent over the gear shift to give San a blowjob. After San came in an embarrassingly short time, Wooyoung wiped the corner of his mouth and told San to start driving. San had asked if he should return the favor, to which Wooyoung had replied, “You can take care of me once we arrive.”

They ate their chicken on the highway, Wooyoung feeding San and himself in turn. Suburbs flashed by them, replaced by rolling hills and less regard for speed limits. Once he dumped the takeaway box on the backseat floor, Wooyoung toed off his shoes and put his feet against the dashboard.

He turned the music down and asked, “So you work at the club?”

“Yeah. It was supposed to be just a part-time gig while I study, but when I graduated I was promoted to shift manager so...”

“What did you study?”

“Media and communication.” San glanced at Wooyoung. “What about you?”

“I work at a jewelry store.” The diamonds in his earrings glittered, headlights from the oncoming cars making lights dance on his neck. “Never went to college.”

“Why not?”

“I’m too dumb”, Wooyoung said matter-of-factly.

San let go of the wheel with one hand and placed it on Wooyoung’s knee instead. “I’m sure that’s not true.”

Wooyoung shrugged. “Everyone says so.” He toyed with San’s fingers and smiled. “But at least I’m pretty so it doesn’t really matter.”

San didn’t know whether to agree or protest, but a red sports car cut in front of them, forcing him to hit the brakes. The sudden drop in speed made the seatbelt dig into his chest, and San cursed and raised a middle finger, hoping the driver caught it in the rear-view mirror.

Wooyoung had taken his feet down from the dashboard. With a laugh, he said, “Maybe you should let me drive instead.”

“Unless you’re a brilliant driver”, San huffed and switched into an even faster lane just so that he could pass the sports car, “it’s not happening.”

“I’m a horrible driver”, Wooyoung laughed. He waved teasingly out the window at the sports car when they roared past it. San couldn’t not chuckle, and he switched lanes again so that they could slow down and get somewhere closer to the speed limit.

A song that made Wooyoung’s face light up began playing so San turned the stereo louder. He kept his hands on the wheel but it was harder to keep his eyes on the road. Wooyoung sang along, and San joined him, and glanced at him as often as he could without driving them off the road.

It was years since he had felt drawn to anyone like this; years since his heart had fluttered because of a pretty boy’s smile. Even with his phone heavy in his pocket, an unfortunate reminder of his obligations, San couldn’t regret or reconsider his decision to follow Wooyoung to Busan. He could indulge in this crush and still make it home in time.

So he threw his phone on the backseat and placed his hand back on Wooyoung’s thigh. Wooyoung shot him a mischievous look and parted his legs slightly. San moved his hand higher, let his fingers graze Wooyoung’s crotch, and left it there.

“You should focus on driving”, Wooyoung said. His dick was growing hard, and San skittered his fingertips over it before taking a firm grip of Wooyoung’s thigh.

“I am. Just want to make sure you’re ready when we arrive.”

They arrived in Busan just past dark, the city lights visible long before the buildings were. San was getting hungry, mouth watering at the thought of the local seafood, and his right calf was stiff from pressing down on the gas pedal the whole day.

Wooyoung had chattered most of the way, light-hearted jokes, and anecdotes that did nothing to reveal why he was running to Busan. Sporadically, he grew quiet, toying with his phone and staring out the window. That was when San offered stories of his own that would make Wooyoung smile again.

They crossed their first bridge when San realized he didn’t know where to drive next. Wooyoung was staring out the window at the huge cranes of the harbor, darker against a dark sky.

“Where to now?” San asked. The traffic had forced him to slow down and it felt like they were crawling after a day of driving as fast as his car allowed.

“I guess we should find a hotel”, Wooyoung said and settled back in his seat when they left the harbor behind. Nothing but dark open ocean to their right, around them red brake lights.

“We could sleep in the car”, San suggested, then laughed when Wooyoung grimaced. To be honest, San didn’t have the budget for anything nicer than a student hostel, and he suspected that that wasn’t what Wooyoung had imagined.

“I want a shower and a proper bed and a view. And breakfast.”

San sighed. He could probably afford one night. “Any ideas?”

“I know my friend stayed at a really nice hotel in Gwangalli. We could drive there and ask for directions when we’re closer.”

Neither suggested that they turn on a phone and check the address.

San followed the signs until they were off the bigger streets. Close to a subway station, they caught sight of a taxi line, and San stopped behind the last car so that Wooyoung could jump out.

San watched him talk to one of the taxi drivers, laughing when the driver tried to usher him into a car, then listening intently when the driver gave him directions. Before he returned, San checked his own wallet. He had a decent amount of cash, tips accumulated over the past weeks that he hadn’t spent yet, but he knew there wasn’t much more on his bank account.

He hoped Wooyoung’s friend didn’t have expensive taste in hotels.

Wooyoung returned with a bright smile and directed them smoothly to their destination. San tried to keep his expression neutral when he parked in front of the sleek entrance. Before getting out, Wooyoung fished his white suit jacket from the backseat and put it on again.

San followed him inside, feeling distinctly out of place in his distressed jeans and leather jacket.

The atrium had a high ceiling, blue carpets, and a marble reception desk. Wooyoung walked to it with a charming smile on, requested a room and handed over his credit card before San could protest at the price.

“I’ll pay you back”, San whispered, hoping that the receptionist didn’t hear. San would have been fine with a room without windows on the lower floor, and he could probably have afforded it as well, but of course Wooyoung had asked for the opposite. Now, he squinted at San before shoving his side lightly.

“You paid for the gas. And the chicken. I think this makes us even.” Wooyoung turned his attention back to the receptionist, took the key cards and thanked her before facing San. “We should park the car before going up”, he said with a bright smile. Without hesitation, San returned it.

He could think of other ways than money to repay Wooyoung’s generosity.

Having parked the car in the garage across the street, they took the elevator up to their floor. They shared the ride up with a group of businessmen, all pulling suitcases behind them when they got off one floor earlier. San hiked his bag higher upon his shoulder.

“We should probably do some shopping tomorrow”, Wooyoung chuckled. “Not that I don’t enjoy wearing your clothes but I feel like the white slacks are crashing with your whole troublemaker aesthetic.”

“Troublemaker?” San relished the long once-over Wooyoung gave him.

“Yeah.” The elevator stopped at their floor, and Wooyoung put his hand in San’s back pocket when they walked down the hallway. “Sleeveless shirts and ripped jeans. Those boots. Plus”, Wooyoung tapped the key card against the lock, “Anyone that hot is bound to cause trouble.”

“I suspect out of the two of us, you’re the troublemaker.”

Wooyoung batted his eyelashes innocently and pushed the door open.

The room was small but the view breathtaking, the dark ocean stretching out to the right, to the left bright skyscrapers, and across the bay and the lit Gwangan bridge Haeundae’s lights reached all the way to the mountains.

Definitely better than a hostel.

San dropped his bag on the large double bed and walked over to the window while Wooyoung disappeared into the bathroom. “There’s bathrobes”, Wooyoung shouted. San hummed in reply and pressed his forehead to the window to look down.

“Hey.” Wooyoung poked his head out from the bathroom, and San turned around. “I’m going to take a shower right away. We should probably get some food after that?”

“Whatever you want”, San replied with a smile.

Wooyoung closed the door but didn’t lock it, and San considered joining him. Feeling Wooyoung up during the drive to Busan had done nothing but make him horny. And he knew that Wooyoung wouldn’t mind. Wooyoung was probably just as, if not even more, enthusiastic to get some relief.

Instead, San sprawled across the bed and took out his phone from his bag. He pushed the bag onto the floor and turned the phone on.

He had received a picture of the nightclub, decidedly not burnt down or destroyed, from Yunho, and had a missed phone call from his mother. She had messaged him too, and San opened it, finding it easier to text than call her back.

_ When are you getting home? _

San glanced at the bathroom door. The shower turned on, and San imagined Wooyoung stepping under the spray of water. It wasn’t too late to join him yet.

_ Something came up at work. I’ll let you know when I can leave. _

San turned his phone off again and threw it toward his bag. He stood up and tore his shirt off, kicked his boots to the side and stepped out of his jeans before opening the bathroom door.

The glass walls had fogged over, Wooyoung’s silhouette only visible through them. San opened the door and snuck in behind him, let his arms wrap around his waist and pull him against San’s chest and rapidly hardening cock.

“I thought you’d never come”, Wooyoung said and ran a hand threw San’s hair. A joke about not having come yet was on the tip of San’s tongue, but he licked a stripe along Wooyoung’s neck instead.

The water beat down Wooyoung’s chest, ran across the hard plane of his stomach, and made the slide easy when San wrapped his hand around Wooyoung’s cock and began jerking him off slowly.

Wooyoung tilted his head back to kiss San. Wooyoung’s small moans were addicting, San found as he kissed them quiet, and moved his lips along Wooyoung’s cheekbone to his neck. Wooyoung rested his head on San’s shoulder, completely at ease while San took care of him.

San scraped his teeth along Wooyoung’s neck, and instead of warning him against leaving marks, Wooyoung said, “You can bite. If you want to.”

San nipped at his ear and turned his wrist. He wanted Wooyoung’s knees shaking.

“What about your rule? No marks, remember?”

“I changed my mind”, Wooyoung moaned and rubbed his ass against San’s hard cock shamelessly. “Want your marks. Hyung. Want them all over me.”

“If that’s what you want”, San growled and tilted Wooyoung’s chin for a hungry kiss. San’s pace on his cock sped up, and San couldn’t help but buck his hips against Wooyoung a few times. Greedy for more of Wooyoung’s moans, San attacked his neck.

Without mercy, San sucked love bites from the soft skin below Wooyoung’s jaw down to his quivering shoulder muscles. He spun Wooyoung around, let go of his dick just to be able to continue over unmarked skin. Wooyoung’s hips stuttered against his thigh, and San gripped his waist to encourage him.

He slid his hands down to Wooyoung’s ass. When he parted Wooyoung’s cheeks and pressed the tip of a finger against his hole, San realized they were missing something.

“We don’t have any lube”, he murmured and opened his eyes to take in the artwork he had created on Wooyoung’s skin. He really did look gorgeous with bruises rather than jewelry around his neck.

“Use the body wash”, Wooyoung moaned, still rutting against San’s thigh.

“It will hurt.”

“I like it when it hurts. I know you can hurt me so good.”

San’s brain was pure static. He kissed Wooyoung, tongue chasing his until they were both out of breath. Blindly, San fumbled for the body wash and squeezed generously of it on his hand. With Wooyoung clinging to his chest, San pulled him closer and pushed one finger inside him as carefully as he could.

He was patient and thorough and distracted himself from his throbbing dick by marking Wooyoung’s neck until there was more blue and red than golden brown skin.

Wooyoung came with a stuttered moan, painting San’s stomach and thighs with his release. The water washed it away quickly, and San allowed Wooyoung to pull his head in for a kiss on the lips.

“I’m ready”, Wooyoung murmured against his lips, and San pulled out his fingers. He flipped Wooyoung around. While Wooyoung placed his hands against the wall for support, San dribbled body wash down his back. He coated his cock and slid it between Wooyoung’s thighs.

“You’re not” San said and tapped Wooyoung’s thigh to get him to close them. The pressure forced San to still for a moment. He took a deep breath before pulling back and pushing forward, letting his cock drag against Wooyoung’s balls, between his thighs. “I only got two fingers in you. I’m not fucking you until we have lube.” He thrust again, sneaking an arm around Wooyoung’s waist to keep him still. “There are other ways I can hurt you.”

San tightened his grip on Wooyoung until he whimpered. “Okay.”

“Okay, who?” San murmured and leaned across Wooyoung’s back until the water beat down on him. Wooyoung was shivering underneath him, though San doubted it was from feeling cold.

“Okay, hyung.” Wooyoung clenched his thighs. “Now fuck me.”

San resisted the urge to roll his eyes and began thrusting instead. The gap between Wooyoung’s thighs could never compare to his ass, but the slippery warmth was still enough to get San over the edge in a matter of minutes.

His knees almost buckled when he came, rutting fast between Wooyoung’s thighs, teeth teasing at Wooyoung’s neck. Wooyoung groaned, and San kept rocking his hips until it became too much.

Wooyoung turned around and kissed him.

San whispered against his lips, “I’ve never met anyone as eager for cock as you.”

Wooyoung smiled and replied, “I’ve never met anyone who fucks me as good as you do. Take it as a compliment.” He then stepped back and turned off the shower. San pulled his fingers through his wet hair to get it off his face and followed Wooyoung.

“Were you trying to eat me?”

Having wiped the mirror, Wooyoung stared at his reflection. San smirked, pride welling in his chest, and hugged him from behind, inspecting the bruises he’d left all over Wooyoung.

“We hadn’t had dinner yet, so…” he said and ducked from the slap Wooyoung aimed at his head. San got one of the bathrobes on and escaped the bathroom before he could be further attacked, but he didn’t miss the smile on Wooyoung’s lips when he leaned toward the mirror to inspect the marks closer.

“Now we definitely need to go shopping”, Wooyoung muttered when he left the bathroom. “I need to buy a turtleneck.”

“How about some food first?” San grinned. The shirt he had loaned Wooyoung barely reached his clavicles, absolutely useless at covering anything. Before Wooyoung could grumble about it more, San pulled him down on the bed and kissed him breathless.

“They are pretty”, San said, kissed the tip of Wooyoung’s nose. “You’re pretty.”

Wooyoung snorted, but he sounded amused rather than irritated. “I suppose it’s my fault for giving you permission.”

“I’m just giving you what you want”, San agreed and kissed him. “It just happens to coincide with what I want pretty well.”

Wooyoung rolled his eyes. “Then I hope you want seafood next. Something other to eat than me.”

“If I must”, San joked. This time, he was unsuccessful in avoiding Wooyoung’s hand smacking the back of his head. He would have pretended to be injured, maybe pouted until Wooyoung gave him another kiss, but when Wooyoung pointed out that they had to hurry if they were going to make it to the store and buy lube, he scrambled to get dressed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> watch me put everything i remember of my trip to busan into this fic.
> 
> so what did you guys think? ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧ any guesses/thoughts about what's going on with wooyoung and san? feelings about them? let me know!


	4. Chapter 4

With a packet of condoms and a bottle of lube in San’s leather jacket’s pocket, they found a hotpot place in their neighborhood with a free table. San sat down with his back against the wall, Wooyoung squeezed into the corner between the wall and a fridge full of soju. Their knees knocked against one another underneath the table.

They ordered a soju bottle to share with their food, and while they waited they talked. San was in wonder over how they still had something to say even after seven hours in the car together. Usually, he needed some time to himself, some quiet to recharge, but with Wooyoung he wasn’t even thinking about it.

So many hours in a car, just the two of them, made it feel like they had known each other for so much longer than a day. San was enamored. As far as he was concerned, they were still the only two people to exist.

The food arrived, and Wooyoung stirred the pot. Impatiently, San stared at it, begging the meat to cook faster so that they could finally eat.

“What’s at home?” Wooyoung asked, chopsticks stirring the mushrooms into the broth. San looked away from the food, and Wooyoung smoothed out the confused frown in his forehead. “You said you were going home. Was there a special reason or..?”

“No. Kind of. We’re having a family reunion of sorts.” San poured them shots of soju. Wooyoung grimaced after drinking his. San barely tasted it.

“Ah. So you’re using me to avoid annoying relatives.” Wooyoung teased and pointed his chopsticks at San.

San chortled. “I’m not using you.”

“It’s okay. I don’t mind being used by you”, Wooyoung said with feigned innocence. He finally deemed the food ready and served them both. “But I get it. Family can be difficult to deal with.”

“Yeah. I’ve got an aunt who can’t stand that I work at a nightclub.” San rolled his eyes. “And my mom thinks I should cut my hair. My grandfather thinks the earrings make me look like a girl.”

Wooyoung shook his head. “Ouch. What about your dad?”

“He’s always been supportive of me. Helped me pick out my car too.”

“Is that why you won’t let me drive it?” Wooyoung bumped his shoulder, making San drop onions on the table. San hurried to get the piece of meat into his mouth before that too was wasted.

“I won’t let you drive it because I don’t want you to wreck it.”

“Probably a smart decision”, Wooyoung said with a laugh. And then they said little for a while, too busy devouring the rest of the hotpot.

Full and satisfied, San would have been ready to go back to the hotel and curl into bed. He thought he might even have it in him for another round, the condoms burning in his pocket. But he could tell that Wooyoung was still restless, still buzzing with the same energy that seemed never-ending, so it wasn’t a surprise when Wooyoung pulled him toward the garage instead of the hotel’s entrance when they walked back.

“I want to go to Hwangnyeongsan. The view from the look-out point is so pretty.”

“But it’s dark.”

“That’s when the view is the prettiest!” Wooyoung tugged at San’s arm, and San followed.

“We could go tomorrow night.”

“But what if it’s cloudy? Tonight is perfect.” Wooyoung pouted. “Please, San-ah. You said we’d do whatever I wanted.”

San unlocked the car with an amused shake of his head. Wooyoung’s bright grin was worth it, though, and San let Wooyoung and the signs guide the way through the center and up the mountainside.

They parked at the far end of the parking lot. Though it was windy up on the mountain, it wasn’t cold. Still, San wrapped an arm around Wooyoung’s waist when they walked toward the building and the terrace.

The café was already closed, but there were still people out on the terrace, mostly couples admiring the lights of Busan below them. They walked to the railing, and San’s first instinct was to take a picture. When he remembered he had left his phone in the hotel room, he settled with pulling Wooyoung closer to his side.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Yeah.” San glanced at Wooyoung, buried his nose in his hair to whisper against his ear, “but not as beautiful as you.”

“So cheesy”, Wooyoung protested with a giggle. Still, he burrowed closer into San’s side, and San pressed a kiss to his temple.

“I’m not ashamed of it if it gets you smiling like that”, San confessed and marveled at how Wooyoung bumping into him in the morning had knocked his whole world off its axis.

“You’re shameless.”

“Of course.” San let his grin settle into something softer, more serious, when he asked, “Want to tell me why you were crying this morning? Maybe I can help.”

Wooyoung stiffened in his arms, then sighed and pulled free. San frowned, but Wooyoung took his hand and lead him to one of the benches further away from the edge, passing the other cuddling couples without a glance.

There was a space between them when they sat down, and Wooyoung was looking out at the view, no trace of a smile or giggle on his lips.

When Wooyoung spoke, his voice was uncharacteristically small. “I had just left a party.”

“A party?”

“A wedding, to be specific.”

“Oh.” San supposed it made sense then, that Wooyoung had been wearing a suit when San picked him up on the street. Except, “Why were you wearing white to a wedding?”

Wooyoung didn’t reply, eyes on the horizon. San couldn’t stop staring at him, especially when the implication dawned on him.

“You ran away from  _ your _ wedding?”

“Yeah.” Wooyoung’s head dropped, and he wrung his hands in his lap. “Just before I was supposed to walk the aisle.”

“I…” San floundered for words. Wooyoung was supposed to be  _ married _ . He had a  _ husband _ . Not really, a traitorous voice whispered in the back of his head. “Was it your bachelor party? When we met?”

Wooyoung nodded.

San stared out into the darkness. Even when Wooyoung had refused to tell him why he wanted to go to Busan, why he had been crying, San had imagined that there had probably been a fight. Maybe a parent, or a boss, or an ex had caused a scene. Or Wooyoung had caused one.

He had never suspected a husband to be involved.

As the silence stretched out between them, San began feeling guilty. Wooyoung’s neck was covered in  _ his _ marks. He glanced at Wooyoung’s hands, still clasped in his lap, but couldn’t see an engagement ring.

Was it possible to feel guilty about not feeling guilty?

“Why?”

“Why I ran away? Why I ran away with you? Or why I was getting married in the first place?”

All of them, San supposed, so he shrugged.

Wooyoung sighed. “Suwon was a family friend. He was always nice to me, and I guess I liked the attention. I had never been in a proper relationship before him. We dated, and my parents loved him, and he loved me so I thought I loved him too. Stupid, I know.”

San’s spirits sank with each word. He had selfishly hoped that the husband-to-be would have been an asshole—then everything that had happened with Wooyoung would have been easier to justify.

Wooyoung chuckled sadly. “I guess hooking up with you during my bachelor party should have been clue enough that I wasn’t ready to get married.”

“Why did you? Come home with me that night?”

“How could I not?” Wooyoung met San’s eyes, and the shadow of a smile crossed his lips. “You were the hottest person I’d ever met. You were exciting. And at first glance, you were nothing like Suwon.”

“Just at first glance?”

“Well”, Wooyoung gingerly took San’s hand, “you take care of me too. If I was with you, I don’t think I’d ever feel dumb again.”

“I don’t think you’re dumb”, San said immediately and squeezed Wooyoung’s hand. They had turned to face each other without even realizing it. Wooyoung’s smile was self-deprecating but his touch was soft on San’s cheek.

“I guess that makes you a little dumb too.”

Dumb was getting a crush on an engaged man and not letting him go right now, right here. San pulled Wooyoung closer, hummed in satisfaction when Wooyoung leaned his head on San’s shoulder.

“What now?”

“You’re not leaving?”

San knew that he should. He should take Wooyoung to the train station and send him home on the KTX. He should turn his phone on, call his mother, and drive himself to Gyeongsan.

He shouldn’t shake his head and hold Wooyoung closer. “I’ll do whatever you want me to.”

“Let’s pretend, just this week.” Wooyoung tilted his chin up to press a kiss against San’s neck. “Let’s pretend there’s no Suwon and no dumb decisions and nothing waiting for us back home. Just you and me. And I’ll deal with the consequences later.”

Their dry lips met in a desperate kiss. San focused on Wooyoung’s mouth; his eager tongue and demanding lips. He pulled Wooyoung into his lap, thighs straddling San’s, and dove headfirst into pretending.

Wooyoung squirmed in his lap as if he was trying to get even closer, panting into San’s mouth. San shoved his hands under Wooyoung’s shirt,  _ his _ shirt, and gripped his waist. Already hard in his jeans, San shivered under Wooyoung’s greedy hands roaming over his chest, Wooyoung’s hips grinding down on his crotch.

Right before San slipped his hands into Wooyoung’s slacks, he caught himself and remembered that they weren’t alone. He tore his lips free of Wooyoung’s and glanced around them at the other couples. None were paying them attention yet.

“Hold onto me”, San told Wooyoung and grabbed him under his thighs and stood up. Wooyoung clung to his shoulders, mouth leaving wet marks on San’s neck while San carried him to the car.

The parking lot was thankfully empty. San dropped Wooyoung into the backseat and crawled after him. The door shut with a bang, and San got back to devouring Wooyoung’s mouth.

Messily, they got undressed, shirts and trousers thrown onto the floor. The closest lamp post created more shadows than light inside the car, and the bruises looked darker on Wooyoung’s skin. San kissed them all while he opened the lube and pushed the first finger inside Wooyoung.

Wooyoung’s thighs were spread on both sides of San, his hands carding through San’s hair and fluttering over his shoulders, moans falling from his pretty lips while San worked him open.

Looking at him like this, slowly falling apart under San, San couldn’t find it in himself to regret any of the decisions that had led them here.

“More”, Wooyoung panted. San obliged, pushed in another finger and crooked his fingers until he found Wooyoung’s prostate. Wooyoung shuddered, and his voice cracked when he repeated, “More.”

San massaged the bundle of nerves until Wooyoung was speechless, then added another finger, but they were both too impatient for a fourth. Fingers too slippery from the lube, San ripped the condom packet open with his teeth.

When he pushed his cock inside Wooyoung, Wooyoung hooked his ankles behind his back to pull him in closer.

“If that’s how you want it”, San growled and fucked into him harshly, not giving him a chance to adjust to San’s size. They were both racing toward the end, San’s hips snapping fast and loud in the crowded backseat.

Wooyoung came first, ropes of come decorating his chest, and San fucked him through it. Wooyoung stretched his neck to kiss him messily, and San bit his bottom lip and came. He ground his hips against Wooyoung’s ass until every last drop was spent, then slumped down to catch his breath, Wooyoung’s lips skittering over his cheek and jaw.

The windows had fogged up. When San’s pulse calmed down enough, he supported himself on his elbows to look at Wooyoung. Wooyoung’s cheeks were flushed, and there was a satisfied smile on his lips, eyes half-lidded and dark.

“Beautiful”, San murmured and kissed him, much more careful and soft now that the urgency and desperation was gone. Wooyoung’s smiled widened and he hugged San closer.

“Cheesy.” Wooyoung pushed San’s chest lightly, and San pulled out of him. Now that he wasn’t caught up in the moment, San could feel the leather seat sticking uncomfortably to his knees. The air inside the car was both hot and humid. “We should probably head back to the hotel.” 

San really hoped there was no one on the outside. Still, he couldn’t resist dragging his fingers through the come pooling on Wooyoung’s stomach. With a grin, he said, “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

Wooyoung grabbed his hand, and without breaking eye contact brought the dripping fingers to his mouth and sucked them clean. San wished he had the refractory period of a teenager so that they could have gone for another round right away.

Wooyoung let the fingers go with a pop and licked his lips for good measure before saying, “I want to get to bed and I want cuddles. Do you think you can do that?”

Not one to be outdone, San licked his way up Wooyoung’s stomach and cleaned up his come as diligently as he could. Wooyoung was smiling when San finally connected their lips into a messy, reassuring kiss.

“You’ve got it, babe. I’ll cuddle you so hard you’ll never want anyone else.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let's just pretend same-sex marriage is legal in korea.
> 
> thoughts? wooyoungie has really dug himself into a hole here, hasn't he?


	5. Chapter 5

San woke up, his face inches from Wooyoung’s. Underneath the blanket, their feet were tangled together. Wooyoung was still asleep, mouth slightly open and hair a mess, his breathing slow and peaceful, and San smiled and carefully swept Wooyoung’s bangs away from his eyes.

The sun was shining in through the curtains, but it was warm in bed. San laid still, kept his breathing even. He wondered if Wooyoung was a morning person. Would he sleep until noon? Or did he usually wake up early, excited for the day to start? Did he slide out of bed or jump out of it? Did he love breakfast or did he skip it altogether?

There was so much about Wooyoung San didn’t know. His toes curled. He couldn’t wait to learn.

The bruises were still blue on Wooyoung’s neck, their edges slightly fading. San wondered how long they would take to disappear. He hoped they would last even after the week was over and they’d gone their separate ways. After Wooyoung returned to his future husband.

It was a good thing that San’s phone was off because the temptation was strong to find Wooyoung’s social media and put a face to Suwon. Selfishly, San hoped that he was old and ugly.

“It’s too early to be frowning.” Wooyoung’s voice was hoarse from sleep. He closed the distance between them and nuzzled his face against San’s neck. San wrapped his arms around Wooyoung. “What were you thinking about?”

“Nothing.”

“Stop it then.” Wooyoung crawled on top of San and peppered kisses all over his face, kept going until San laughed and captured his lips with his own. When Wooyoung pulled back, he was smiling, eyes awake and satisfied. “Better. Now, let’s go get breakfast. I’m starving.”

He rolled over San and landed on his feet on the floor. San chuckled and got his elbow under himself to watch Wooyoung skip to the bathroom.

Definitely a morning person, San mused and tossed the covers to the side.

The hotel’s breakfast was an overflowing selection of food from all over the world, and when they finished, San was certain that he wouldn’t need to eat anything else that day.

They took a shower together, finishing off each other under the hot spray of water. Afterward, with water still dripping down from his wet hair onto his bare shoulders, Wooyoung held up the shirt he had borrowed from San with a disgruntled pout.

Adorable, San thought.

"Not that I don't like this", Wooyoung said and threw the shirt onto the floor, "but we need to go shopping."

"But you looked hot in it." Whether it was because of the wide-cut that revealed his sides or because it was San's, San couldn't say. Probably both.

"I look hot in anything", Wooyoung replied and dug through San's bag until he found a white t-shirt. "But you pull off the grunge look much better."

San dragged his fingers through his hair, hoping that it would settle off his face once it dried, and got up to crowd Wooyoung against the wall.

"Maybe you should just be naked", he murmured and kissed down Wooyoung's neck, pleased when Wooyoung tilted his head to the side to allow him better access even as he huffed in protest.

"In your dreams", he said and opened his mouth to deepen the kiss the moment San's lips caught his. San hummed his agreement against Wooyoung's lips.

"If we stay in this room for the rest of the week, there’s no need for clothes.”

“Tempting”, Wooyoung said, word ending on a moan when San pushed his thigh against Wooyoung’s crotch. San could feel Wooyoung getting hard, but before he could take advantage of it, Wooyoung pushed him away. Instead of walking away, however, he dropped to his knees.

“Didn’t you say we should leave?” San teased when Wooyoung’s hands began unbuckling his belt. Wooyoung glared up at him and swallowed his cock down in one.

It didn’t take long for San to finish into Wooyoung’s mouth, and when he helped Wooyoung onto his feet Wooyoung’s hand was covered in his own release. They got cleaned up and finally managed to get out of the hotel.

The car was left in the garage, the two instead heading toward the center on foot, hands linked between them. San hadn’t been to Busan since he was in elementary school, but Wooyoung seemed slightly more familiar with the city. They took the metro and got off at a station that had a mall, and San trailed after Wooyoung while he hurried from store to store.

Wooyoung had purchased several pairs of earrings, a bag, a pair of shoes, and—for some inexplicable reason—a bobblehead figure of his favorite idol before they left the station mall and headed out onto the streets to find a store that sold the kind of clothes Wooyoung was looking for.

The place Wooyoung decided on was nothing like the thrift stores San preferred. If Wooyoung hadn’t walked inside without hesitation, San would never have entered, too out of place among the white walls and the racks with the clothing covered in protective plastic.

But Wooyoung, with the help of a smiling store attendant, quickly picked out clothes that would last him a week and pulled San with him to the fitting booths. The attendant glared at San until he sat down outside the booth to wait.

“I’ll be quick”, Wooyoung promised and pulled the curtain shut.

“You only need like two shirts”, San said, head tipped back to rest against the wall. “And one pair of jeans. We aren’t going to be here for the rest of the year.”

“Would that be so bad?”

San shrugged, torn between giving the reply he wanted to give and the one he would have to give.

“Come tell me how this looks.”

With the attendant out of sight, back in the front room, San got up and pulled the curtain aside. Wooyoung twirled around with a laugh. The light jeans he was wearing hugged his ass, and the blouse showed off his collar bones and San’s marks.

“You look cute.”

“Just cute?” Wooyoung teased and turned to his reflection.

San stepped closer, pressed against Wooyoung’s back and put his hands on his hips. “Beautiful. Gorgeous. Breathtaking. Other synonyms.”

“Okay, okay.” Wooyoung giggled and tilted his neck to the side so that San could kiss him there. “Do you really want to have sex here?”

“No.” San kissed his neck once more, then propped his chin on Wooyoung’s shoulder and met his eyes through the mirror. “I’m not complimenting you because I want to fuck you; I’m complimenting you because it’s true.”

“Oh.” Wooyoung stared, but when a blush spread on his cheeks, he looked down and cleared his throat. “I guess I’ll take this then. Get out so I can try something else.”

San was exhausted when they returned to the hotel in the early evening, arms heavy with shopping bags and his stomach full after the dinner they had eaten at a seaside restaurant. He was ready to fall into bed, and judging by the way Wooyoung was clinging to his side, he suspected Wooyoung felt the same.

They had just entered the lobby when Wooyoung stopped walking. His grip tightened around San’s arm before he let go completely, and San frowned at him, then followed his line of sight.

By the couches in front of the windows, two young men stood up, eyes fixed on Wooyoung. Wooyoung stood still while they approached, and San swallowed down on the nerves flaring up in his chest, trying to remember where he had seen them before.

The shorter one with the piercing eyes and sharp jaw walked up to Wooyoung and pulled him into a hug.

“I’m so happy you’re okay”, he said, then shoved Wooyoung away. “You idiot. you absolute—”

“Hey”, San stepped between them.

The intense eyes snapped to him, and San almost backed away. “And who the hell are you?”

“Isn’t that the bartender?” The taller one of the two said, and San remembered where he’d seen them before. The club, the bachelor party. Wooyoung’s friends.

“I don’t care if he’s the President”, the sharp one said, eyes on San, “You need to step aside before I have Mingi remove you.”

“Yeosang-ah, stop.” Wooyoung touched San’s elbow, and San hesitantly backed off. “What are you doing here? How did you know where I was?”

“You used your credit card to pay for the hotel”, the taller one said. “Your mom told us. Suwon wanted to come but… we convinced him it was better if we did.”

“Oh.” Wooyoung’s shoulders slumped, but he accepted the hug from the taller one—Mingi, San assumed. Yeosang was still glaring at San.

“We really were worried, Youngie-yah”, Mingi mumbled into Wooyoung’s shoulder before holding him at an arm’s length and giving him a slow once-over. His eyebrows disappeared under his bangs when he caught sight of the bruises on Wooyoung’s neck. His gaze landed on San.

San cleared his throat. “We haven’t been introduced.”

Wooyoung looked at him then too and tried to smile reassuringly though he wasn’t unable to mask the nervousness in his eyes. “San, this is Yeosang and Mingi. They are my best friends. Yeosang was supposed to be my… Um… Nevermind.

Guys, this is San. He’s a… new friend.”

San didn’t know whether to bow are not, so he settled on a nod. Mingi returned the gesture; Yeosang didn’t move.

“Since when do friends give each other hickeys? And since when do you even know him?”

“Yeosang-ah, please be nice. He’s been taking care of me.”

“You’re supposed to have a husband for that.”

Wooyoung jerked back as if the words had been a physical blow, and on instinct San’s arm came around his shoulders. Yeosang’s expression softened.

“How about we all just calm down”, Mingi spoke up. “There’s a rooftop bar here, right? Why don’t we go and sit down and talk this out.”

Wooyoung looked torn but must have realized just as quickly as San did that they really didn’t have a choice. He nodded.

“We’ll just stop by our room to drop things off. Then we’ll join you.”

“Promise not to run away again?” Mingi asked, smiling to ease the tension. Wooyoung’s chuckle was dry, and he nodded again.

San kept his arm around Wooyoung when they walked to the elevator. The ride up was silent. Wooyoung's eyes were on the floor, Yeosang's on Wooyoung, Mingi's and San's on the numbers flashing by above the doors.

San and Wooyoung got off on their floor. Yeosang and Mingi continued up to the rooftop. Though he seemed otherwise calm, Wooyoung’s hand shook when he tried to get the keycard into the lock. San took it gently from him and opened the door.

“Are you okay?”

“I didn’t think anyone would come looking for me”, Wooyoung said and dropped his paper bags on the bed. “At least not this fast. I shouldn’t have used my credit card.”

San gathered him in his arms, relieved when Wooyoung cuddled up against him as willingly as before. “Maybe this is for the best. They are your friends. They just want what’s best for you.”

Wooyoung nodded and tilted his chin up for a kiss. San obliged. He hesitated, but asked anyway,

“Do you want me to wait here?”

Wooyoung shook his head and kissed San again, more desperately. “I’m afraid Yeosang will convince me to go back. Please come with me.”

“Of course.” San met Wooyoung’s eyes, fondness blooming in his chest when Wooyoung smiled despite the wetness of his eyes. "Shall we go? No use stalling any longer."

"Okay." Wooyoung steeled his jaw and stole one last kiss from San. 

On the ride up to the rooftop, San tried to calm his nerves. Taking Wooyoung's hand in his helped, and he hoped it kept Wooyoung grounded as well. When the elevator doors opened onto the rooftop, Wooyoung smiled shakily at San, and San knew without asking that Wooyoung didn't want him to let go. He squeezed Wooyoung's hand, and then they walked out together to face Wooyoung's friends. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all i want for christmas is a comment from u~
> 
> honestly tho, for some reason the last couple of chapters have been a Struggle tm to write and knowing that there are people expecting is the motivation i need to get past my block so pls take the time and let me know if u care :*


	6. Chapter 6

Yeosang and Mingi were waiting at one of the high tables by the glass railing. Behind them, the ocean rolled onto the horizon, reflecting the last rays of the setting sun. Ambient music easily faded into the background, mingling with the easy conversation of the people enjoying their evening with a view.

It was beautiful, San thought. He wished he could have come up here to be with Wooyoung only. Then he would have gotten one of the overpriced cocktails instead of the club soda he now settled on to keep a clear head.

They joined Yeosang and Mingi with their drinks in hand. Mingi's glass was almost empty; Yeosang's wine glass looked untouched. San sat down across from Mingi and wrapped his fingers around his glass to keep them still.

Wooyoung spoke first.

“Is everyone mad at me?”

Mingi and Yeosang glanced at each other. Wooyoung had let go of San’s hand when they approached the table, and San was hesitant to reach out for him again. He didn’t want Yeosang glaring at him but Wooyoung’s slumped shoulders made it hard to not offer him some comfort.

“No”, Mingi replied eventually. “Most people are just confused. Or worried. Your parents are all of the above.”

“Suwon?”

“He had no idea you didn’t want to get married.”

Wooyoung sighed. He faced his friends, brave in a way San was sure he wouldn’t have been able to be. Under the table, he was wringing his hands together. “I didn’t either. Honestly. I wouldn’t have left it to the last minute if I did.”

“Then what happened?” Yeosang asked.

Again Wooyoung sighed. San took his hand in his, not caring what Yeosang or anyone else would think, and Wooyoung threaded their fingers together. “I realized it was for forever, I guess. That it was serious. I needed to breathe so I went outside and then I just… kept walking.” His voice faded when he asked, “Did you tell them you found me?”

“Not yet.” Despite his sharp words earlier, and his serious tone, Yeosang’s eyes betrayed his fondness for Wooyoung. San was still wary of him but he didn’t doubt that Yeosang loved Wooyoung, and it made San feel easier.

“Do you want us to?” Mingi asked. Wooyoung lowered his gaze for the first time.

“I don’t know.”

“Do you want to go back?”

“I don’t know.”

Yeosang asked, “Do you still love Suwon?”

“No”, Wooyoung said assuredly, then hesitated. “I don’t think so. At least, not like that.” His thumb was brushing circles against San’s skin.

“Okay.” Yeosang glanced at San, and San met his eyes. If Wooyoung was brave enough to do it, so should he. “And what about him?”

"San is just…" 

When Wooyoung couldn't find the words to finish his sentence, Yeosang glanced at Mingi before addressing San directly for the first time. Whatever softness had been in his eyes disappeared. "You really were at the club?" San nodded. "So what, you were stalking Wooyoung?"

"We just ran into each other."

"And you just took him to Busan out of the goodness of your heart?"

"No. I mean, yes but we already—"

"We remembered each other from the club", Wooyoung interrupted. "We talked a little every time I ordered drinks so… And he was driving this way anyway. I asked if he'd come with me."

"Did you know?" Yeosang glared pointedly at the hickeys on Wooyoung's neck, and San's grip on Wooyoung's hand tightened. "Or do you just enjoy fucking and marking up taken men like a feral—"

“Yeosang-yah!" Wooyoung and Mingi protested in unison.

"I didn't know. Wooyoung only told me last night." San didn't want to punch Yeosang, but his knuckles were itching to put a crack in his icy facade. He turned to Wooyoung instead and lowered his voice. "Maybe it's best that I go."

"I'll come with you."

"No, no, you don't have to—"

"I want to", Wooyoung said with the hint of a smile. San nodded because he had promised Wooyoung anything, and across the table Yeosang and Mingi were watching them, sharing a glance as well. 

Wooyoung asked his friends, “Are you going back tonight?”

“Actually, we already got rooms here”, Mingi said with a laugh. “We asked for you at the reception, and they wouldn’t tell us when you’d be back. We’d been waiting for two hours in the lobby when you finally showed up.”

“You shouldn’t have.”

Yeosang’s expression softened when he said, “We weren’t going to leave without seeing you.”

“I’m happy you didn’t.” And Wooyoung got up from his chair and rounded the table to embrace Yeosang. They hugged tightly, Wooyoung pressing his face into Yeosang’s neck until they let go. Mingi stood for a hug as well, and when Wooyoung returned to San’s side he was smiling. “I’m exhausted. We’ll have breakfast together tomorrow before you leave?”

Mingi agreed, and though Yeosang looked like he wanted to protest, he simply nodded and picked up his wine glass. San waved goodbye with the hand Wooyoung wasn’t holding.

They didn’t speak until they reached their room. Wooyoung shut the door and leaned against it with a heavy sigh, tilted his head back against the door and stared up at the ceiling before meeting San’s eyes.

“That could have been worse, I guess. Thank you.” He pushed off the door and walked to Stan, stopped just out of reach. “Can I hug you?”

In lieu of a verbal answer, San opened his arms. Wooyoung stepped into his embrace, shoulders drooping with relief. He let out a shuddery breath and looped his arms around San’s waist.

San hooked his chin over Wooyoung’s head. "You didn't tell them about our first night." 

"I thought it was for the better. Yeosang holds grudges." Wooyoung snuggled into San's chest with a small smile. "I think he dislikes you enough as it is."

"If looks could kill, right?"

"He's just been stressed. I'm not worried: you'll win him over."

The confrontation had clearly drained the last of Wooyoung’s energy. Skipping a shower, he crawled into bed and stayed awake only long enough for San to join him, wrapping his legs and arms around San before falling asleep. San lay awake longer, staring absentmindedly out at the night sky.

Nobody would come looking for him. His friends in Seoul probably didn’t know that he had dropped off the map; they probably just thought that he was too busy to answer their messages. And his family waiting for him in Gyeongsan had no way of reaching him or tracking him down.

A wave of guilt washed over San. He promised himself he would turn his phone on tomorrow, then pulled Wooyoung closer and waited for his heartbeat to calm down so that he could fall asleep as well.

San didn’t feel particularly well-rested come breakfast. Mingi, who was focused on inhaling his coffee between mouthfuls of scrambled eggs, gave him a sympathetic look when San sat down across him.

“Not a morning person?”

San shrugged. “Didn’t sleep too good. What about you?”

“I slept like a baby. But my brain doesn’t function before I get my coffee so…” He raised his cup and San mirrored the action. He had taken a bowl of porridge from the buffet, for once left in peace now that Wooyoung had his best friend to pester. Yeosang, face stony but patient, was letting Wooyoung fill his plate with everything that Wooyoung had tried their first morning.

“I need at least two cups before I can keep up with Wooyoungie”, Mingi chuckled. San looked away from the aforementioned boy and sipped his coffee. It was still scalding hot.

“I don’t mind. His energy is infectious.”

“If you say so.” Mingi was staring, so San focused on his porridge. “Wooyoung said you were on your way here when you ran into each other?”

“I was going to Gyeongsan. But I had a few days to spare so I thought, why not?”

“Sure. Still, seems a little weird. Picking up a stranger like that.”

“Maybe.” San glanced up at the sound of Wooyoung’s laughter. He and Yeosang were by the cereal selection. Yeosang’s voice wasn’t loud enough to carry his words over to them, but Wooyoung kept chuckling even when they walked over to the fresh fruits.

San wiped the smile off his face when Mingi cleared his throat.

"Listen, San-ah, can I be honest? You seem like a nice person and all, and we really do appreciate you taking care of Wooyoung. We were really worried when he disappeared. There's a lot of people that would take advantage of him and that's why Yeosang is giving you a hard time too, because he's afraid you're like that.”

San was about to protest, but Mingi hurried to continue before he could, “But I don't think you are! The truth is, though, that Wooyoung is not in a place to start a relationship right now. He hasn't even ended his last one yet. You get that, right?"

San poked at his porridge, appetite gone. "Yeah. I do."

"I’m sorry. Just… look out for him this week, and yourself, and then send him back home. Okay?"

“Yeah.” San pushed the bowl away. “I’m going to get something else.”

He walked past Wooyoung and Yeosang, finally headed to their table, both with overflowing plates. Wooyoung smiled at San, and San didn’t want to worry him, so he smiled back, but he ignored Yeosang, because what did it matter if Yeosang liked him? San would never meet him again after this.

Maybe, San thought and stared at the sausages squeezed in between the steamed carrots and the meatballs, he had been too good at pretending. Maybe he should just call his mother and drive home right away, let Wooyoung’s friends take him home to figure out his life.

They hadn’t known each other for that long. How much could losing Wooyoung hurt anyway? San’s throat tightened, his eyes burned, and he hated that he was this emotional and this terrified of going home and all he wanted was for—

Wooyoung wrapped his arms around San’s middle and pressed a gentle kiss against San’s neck. “Is everything okay?”

San leaned into him and closed his eyes. He focused on the warmth against his back and the steady rise and fall of Wooyoung’s chest and felt his throat ease up until he could breathe again.

“Yeah. Just can’t decide between the sausages and the meatballs.”

Wooyoung chuckled. “Definitely the meatballs. The sausages are too dry.” He shifted to San’s side, arm still around San’s waist, and smiled at him like he could tell that San wasn’t being honest. “But I think you should try the pancakes. You look like you could use something sweet.”

Yeosang and Mingi left before noon. Back in their room, San lay on the bed while Wooyoung unpacked his shopping bags from yesterday, feeling both tired and restless. His phone was in the drawer in the nightstand where he had put it, and despite having decided to call home, San wanted to do anything but.

He watched Wooyoung shimmy out of the dress pants he’d been wearing to breakfast, a new pair of jeans laid out ready on the bed.

“Come here”, San said before Wooyoung could pull them on. Wooyoung looked up, surprise morphing to understanding when San raised his eyebrows expectantly. “Bring the lube with you. It’s in my jacket.”

Wooyoung walked to the leather jacket hanging by the door, teasingly swaying his hips more than necessary, and San reached down to rub himself over his jeans, cock already hardening at the sight.

With the lube and the condoms in his hand, Wooyoung crawled across the bed to kneel between San’s legs. “What did you have in mind?”

“I need a distraction”, San murmured and spread his knees.

“I can be distracting. What do you want?”

“You”, San answered honestly and helped Wooyoung pull his shirt off him. Wooyoung trailed wet kisses over his stomach, over his nipples, and up his neck until they were face to face.

“I could fuck you”, Wooyoung whispered and nipped at San’s bottom lip. San let Wooyoung kiss him, surprised but not displeased by the suggestion. It had been a while since he had bottomed, and his cock twitched at the thought.

Nevertheless, he teased, “You think so?”

Wooyoung nodded excitedly. “I’ll make it good, I promise.”

“Open me up then, Youngie-yah.”

San pressed into the last kiss, wet and messy, and relaxed back to watch Wooyoung slide down his body. He hiked his hips up so that Wooyoung could get his jeans and boxers off, and Wooyoung smirked when his eyes landed on San’s fully hard cock. He lubed up a finger, hooked one of San’s legs over his shoulder, and swallowed San’s cock down.

While he worked his finger inside San, he kept sucking him off, effectively distracting him from the unfamiliar intrusion. Wooyoung was gentle, because of course he was, and teasing as well, because of course. He waited for San’s permission before adding another finger, and pressed against his prostate until San’s breathing grew labored.

“You are going to make me come before you get inside me”, San warned. He had one arm under his head so that he could watch Wooyoung. Wooyoung glanced up, lips stretched around San, drool running down his chin, eyes twinkling in satisfaction. San huffed in amusement and threaded his fingers through Wooyoung’s hair.

Not letting him off, San started fucking his mouth with sharp thrusts. Wooyoung had three fingers in him by now, and he kept massaging them against San’s prostate even as he let San control the pace.

When San’s orgasm crashed through him, he pushed Wooyoung down and held him still. He could feel Wooyoung’s throat work around his cock swallowing every drop and when San let him, he pulled off to breathe deeply.

“Good?” Wooyoung asked and licked his lips.

“So good. So sweet, Youngie-yah. So good to me.”

Wooyoung removed his fingers with a satisfied smile and reached for the condoms. San came down from him high while Wooyoung opened the condom packet and lubed himself up. When he settled between San’s legs, San pulled him in for a kiss.

Wooyoung entered him slowly, carefully keeping an eye on San’s face for any signs of distress. San had to close his eyes. It really had been a long time, but once the discomfort passed and Wooyoung nudged against his prostate, San ordered him to move.

“Fucking hyung so good, Youngie-yah”, San growled as Wooyoung increased the force of his thrusts. San reached around him to grab his ass and encourage him to go deeper. Their kisses were messy, and San couldn’t think about anything else but Wooyoung on top of him, inside him; beautiful Wooyoung, so eager to please and be praised.

San could easily reach the discarded bottle of lube. He got more lube on the covers than on his fingers, but it was enough. He reached around Wooyoung and pushed one finger inside him. Wooyoung wailed, hips stuttering.

“Keep going”, San murmured and bit his ear sharply. Wooyoung nodded and found a rhythm again, fast and deep. San worked another finger into him, unable to do more than keep them there.

“Hyung”, Wooyoung moaned, eyes squeezed shut. San hummed and licked a stripe over his throat and the fading bruises. “I’m going to—”

“Not yet.” San bit into one of the bigger hickeys, determined to work it back to the deep blue it had been. “Not until I’m done.” He wanted his marks to never leave. He didn’t need their fading edges to remind him of how temporary all of this was.

When San sought out Wooyoung’s mouth for a kiss, Wooyoung’s neck bruised and pretty, San had grown hard again. Wooyoung’s lips were slack, all his energy focused on not coming yet, and San nipped at his lips.

“Come for me, Youngie-yah. Come.”

Wooyoung picked up his pace, desperately chasing his release, and San was surprised by his own orgasm. When Wooyoung’s hips stilled, San came with a groan, splattering his stomach and chest white. He pulled his fingers out from Wooyoung’s ass and stroked them up his back, grabbed his neck and kissed him until Wooyoung kissed back.

“My Youngie-yah”, San whispered and peppered kisses over his face until they both had calmed their breathing. Wooyoung pushed himself up to look down at San, a dazed smile on his face.

“Was that distracting enough?”

“It was”, San laughed and kissed him again. “You are.”

“Good.” Wooyoung pulled out slowly and rolled the condom off, threw it toward the trash can and laid down next to San. San felt oddly empty but perfectly sated. Not even the thought of his phone could tamper with his smile. Wooyoung met his gaze, eyes twinkling. “I’m hungry again.”

San laughed. “We’ll get you food. But first, we should take a shower. And I have a call to make.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got so many wonderful comments on the last chapter it honestly made my week <3 thank u and i hope you all enjoyed this chapter too!


	7. Chapter 7

San waited until Wooyoung closed the bathroom door to turn his phone on. It buzzed in his hand with unanswered calls and messages and notifications from his social media apps. San ignored the latter and scrolled through his messages.

Yunho had asked if he’d made it home safe yet. Hongjoong, Seonghwa, and Jongho had all sent him several increasingly harsh messages asking where he was.

San closed the app and opened his call log, hesitated for a second, finger hovering above his mother’s name. She’d called nine times. Before he could back out again, he touched her name and raised the phone to his ear.

“Hi, Mom.”

A sharp intake of breath, then, “ _ San-ah! Where have you been? Why haven’t you been answering anyone? I’ve been worried sick about you. _ ”

“I’m sorry.” San picked at the frayed edges of the hole in his jeans right above his knee. “I shouldn’t have ignored everyone.”

“ _ Well? Explain yourself _ .”

“There was a thing at work and then…” San had never been good at lying to his mother. He let out a sigh and closed his eyes. “I just couldn’t come home yet.”

There was silence over the line. When she spoke, her tone was softer. “ _ I understand. But we need you, honey. We’ve got so much to do still. Jongho has been a great help. Your friends too. But your father still needs— _ ”

“I know, Mom. I’ll be home by Saturday, I promise.”

“ _ Are you still in Seoul? _ ”

“No.” San’s gaze landed on the bathroom door. The shower had turned on, the rushing water drowning out Wooyoung’s light humming. “I’m in Busan.”

“ _ What? Why? _ ”

“I don’t know. I guess I needed some time to think.” Or not think.

“ _ Okay, honey. But come as soon as possible? It’s less than a two hours drive from there. We’ve got your old room ready for you. _ ”

“Thank you. I’ll… I’ll be home by Saturday.”

His mother sighed in defeat. “ _ Don’t disappear again. _ ”

“I won’t. I love you.”

“ _ I love you too, honey. We’ll be waiting _ .”

San mumbled his goodbye and dropped his phone on the covers. He felt both better and worse now. They had so much to do in preparation and he should be there, but at least he knew his friends were helping with everything. They were probably more useful than he would have been.

The shower was still running. Wooyoung hadn’t locked the door, and San felt grateful. He got undressed and joined Wooyoung under the water, wrapped his arms around him and pressed a kiss to his shoulder.

“How did the call go?” Wooyoung asked and reached for the shampoo.

“Good, I guess.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.” San closed his eyes while Wooyoung washed his hair, fingers massaging soothing circles against his scalp until San didn’t feel bad anymore. Wooyoung guided him underneath the spray, and when San opened his eyes, Wooyoung was looking at him with a fond smile.

He stroked his hands through San’s hair, down his neck, and across his shoulders.

“Is there anything I can do?”

San kissed him. “You already are.”

Wooyoung hummed happily. They continued making out leisurely, touches comforting rather than arousing, and slowly but surely, San relaxed and settled into the moment. He still had a few days to enjoy with Wooyoung. And now that he had permission, he wouldn’t ruin them by worrying.

“We should probably get out”, Wooyoung said against his lips. San nodded but kept kissing him, ran his hand down along Wooyoung’s side and to his crotch. Just like San’s, Wooyoung’s dick had involuntarily gotten hard. San stroked it briefly before reaching behind himself to turn off the shower.

“Let’s go find something to eat.”

Despite his words, Wooyoung whined. “I mean,  _ that _ could wait.”

“Don’t worry, Youngie-yah. I’ll eat you out later.” San pecked his lips one last time before stepping out of the shower. He hid his smirk into a towel and ignored Wooyoung’s pout.

“I stand by my words”, Wooyoung said when he reached for the other towel, “you are no fun.”

San shook his head and pulled Wooyoung close to him to press his dick against Wooyoung’s ass. When he kissed Wooyoung’s neck, Wooyoung shivered and closed his eyes.

“I thought you liked it when I take control”, San murmured. “You certainly seemed to enjoy it earlier.”

Wooyoung’s eyes fluttered open, meeting San’s through the mirror. “Maybe.”

“Trust me, then. I’ll make it worth the wait.”

The sun was shining so they headed to the beach. Between getting ice cream and later coffee, taking pictures of the view and threatening to throw each other into the ocean, San kept teasing Wooyoung, letting his touches linger and kissing him just a bit more passionately than he needed to. He could tell that Wooyoung loved the attention, which made him even more generous with it.

San had never met anyone he got along with so well. Not even Seonghwa, his best friend in college, made San feel this carefree. Wooyoung was just the right kind of loud and didn’t care when people turned to stare at them, and San found himself smiling until his cheeks ached.

They left the beach for a wooden boardwalk that took them over a rocky cape to a lookout point. There was a smattering of tourists gazing out at the sea, but Wooyoung found an empty spot by the railing and leaned far over it to look down at the crashing waves.

“I want a picture”, he announced. San dug out his phone from his back pocket. He had turned off his internet connection, both to save battery and to avoid getting messages, but he felt better now that his family could reach him if they wanted to. He was relieved that they hadn’t.

San held up his phone and said, “Smile.”

With a laugh Wooyoung did, but he smiled at San rather than the camera, and San’s heart did a thing in his chest it hadn’t done before.

“Did you get it?”

“Yeah.” San barely glanced at the blurry picture, instead striding to Wooyoung and crowding him against the railing. Wooyoung made a surprised noise when San kissed him but melted quickly into it. San didn’t stop, not knowing what else to do with the sudden overwhelming fondness that had bloomed in his chest.

They were having a fun week but it would end soon. And Wooyoung would return to his life and his relationship and only think of San as that nice fling who was good in bed. San didn’t want to go home, go back to Seoul and remember Wooyoung as anything more either.

Infatuation he could deal with. Infatuation meant that he could forget Wooyoung and continue his life with this week as a fond break from his life. The affection making his hands tremble when he had taken the picture didn’t feel like something that would abide by their inevitable time limit.

“If you don’t stop”, Wooyoung whispered against his lips, “I’m going to need you to finish this right now.”

“That’s not happening.” Just to drive his point home, San pushed his thigh against Wooyoung’s crotch. The tourists around them were probably scandalized, but San didn’t care. Wooyoung cared even less, rubbing back against him.

“I thought we were doing whatever I wanted.”

“We are”, San said and nipped at his bottom lip. “Do you really want me to stop? Or to finish you off right here? In front of everyone?”

Instead of replying, Wooyoung kissed him harder. They were both panting when Wooyoung pushed him away.

“I need a drink if you are going to be like this.”

San grinned. “Let’s get a drink then.”

They headed back to the hotel and up to the rooftop, and by then they had both managed to calm down enough to keep their hands and mouths off each other. A few people were enjoying the afternoon sun, but it was still quiet, just one bartender behind the counter.

“Get me something good”, Wooyoung said. “I’ll wait at the table.”

San watched him go before approaching the bar counter. The woman behind it smiled blindingly at him.

“What can I get you, handsome?”

“Can I get two whiskey sours?”

“Sure thing.”

There was a man sipping his martini a few stools away, engrossed in his phone, head bobbing to the mellow beats playing on the speakers. Without anyone else waiting to order, the bartender took her time, and San leaned across the bar counter to watch her prepare the drinks.

“See something you like?”

San looked up from her hands at her face, chuckled when he noticed the flirty smile on her red lips. She filled up the cocktail shaker while giving him an obvious once-over.

“You’re very good”, San said and nodded at her work. “I’m a bartender too.”

“Thank you.” She poured the drinks into glasses with a flourish, then placed them in front of San. “And are you’re here with a friend or...?”

San chuckled and paid, and she handed back the change with a napkin. On it, San could see her phone number.

“Actually, I’m here with—”

“Is this mine?” Wooyoung pressed himself against San’s side, and San’s arm came naturally to rest on his shoulders. San nodded, and Wooyoung smiled wide, picking up his drink and not sparing the bartender a glance. “I found us a free table. Let’s go.”

San left the change and the phone number on the bar counter and let Wooyoung guide the way.

At the table, Wooyoung shrugged San’s arm off his shoulders and stared out at the ocean view with a petulant pout. San grinned and pulled Wooyoung closer.

“You’re cute when you’re jealous, Youngie-yah.”

“I’m not jealous”, Wooyoung argued. He still didn’t look at San, but he didn’t push him away either. “I just didn’t think you’d get bored of me so soon.”

San huffed a laugh and kissed Wooyoung on the cheek, then whispered into his ear, “I don’t know if I could ever get bored of you.”

“Liar”, Wooyoung whined, still pretending to be mad, but San didn’t miss the pleased smile he tried to hide by taking a sip of his drink.

“I knew you were incredible ever since I first saw you dancing at my club.”

“Yeah?” Wooyoung tilted his head to look at San, eyes dark and smile suggestive. “Maybe I should remind you of it then.”

“What do you mean?” San couldn’t take his eyes off Wooyoung’s glossy lips.

“Let’s go to a club. I feel like dancing. With you, this time.”

After finishing their drinks, they stopped by their room to change into something more appropriate for the evening. On their way out, Wooyoung paid for another night at the hotel. They took the metro to Seomyeon and walked into the first place that served greasy food and played loud music.

They shared several bottles of soju with their burgers, and stayed even after the kitchen closed to drink some more and sing along to the hit songs playing louder by the hour. The bar was getting crowded, and by the time they left, it resembled more a club than a restaurant.

The club they ended up at was on the second floor in a dark building on a loud street. The bouncer barely glanced at their IDs before letting them pass.

San held tight onto Wooyoung’s hand when they pushed inside. The dance floor began right at the door. San could glimpse the bar counter on the other side of the room, and a staircase leading up in the corner to his left. If it hadn’t been for the pulsing strobe lights, the club would have been pitch black.

The heavy bass made his heart jump in his chest, though it was nothing compared with what Wooyoung’s dark gaze did to him. In the middle of the room, with glittering bodies around them, Wooyoung pulled San close.

“Say the thing.”

“What thing?” San placed his hands on Wooyoung’s waist. Wooyoung threw his head back, but the music drowned out his laughter.

“That thing you told me back then. When I couldn’t be honest with you.”

“Ah.” San laughed and twirled Wooyoung around, replaced his hands on Wooyoung’s waist and leaned in to whisper, just like he had when they first met, right against Wooyoung’s ear,  "Mind if I join you?"

Wooyoung tilted his head back against San’s shoulder and smiled.

What they were doing, San wouldn’t call dancing: there wasn’t enough space around them or between them for anything but wandering hands and rolling hips. Wooyoung craned his neck for a kiss occasionally, ground his ass against San’s crotch whenever San licked the sweat off his throat.

Despite the darkness and the packed dance floor, San caught glances thrown their way whenever he could tear his eyes off Wooyoung. Sudden but not completely unexpected, the urge to hide Wooyoung from everyone else made San’s grip on Wooyoung’s hips tighten. At the same time, San had the desire to stake his claim publicly.

He ignored the voice in the back of his mind reminding him that he didn’t have and would never have any claim on Wooyoung.

Instead, San took Wooyoung’s hand and lead him off the dance floor and toward the staircase leading up a floor. The music was more muted, and people had gathered on the stairs to chat. The second floor had couches and tables and a smoking room, and San walked past all of it, past the bathroom doors to a door in the far corner that said staff only.

Wooyoung giggled when he pushed it open. Behind the door was another staircase leading back down, but this one was empty. There were cigarette butts on the steps and one light bulb hanging from the ceiling.

“I don’t think we can lock this door”, Wooyoung said with a laugh. San pulled him away from it and pushed him against the wall. Wooyoung looked at him with hooded eyes and a smirk that matched San’s. “I suppose that doesn’t matter.”

“I really couldn’t care less right now.”

“Good.” Wooyoung removed something from his pocket and placed it into San’s hand. “I actually thought I’d be the one to lose my patience first.”

San surged forward to kiss him, hands fumbling to open the bottle of lube. Meanwhile, Wooyoung unbuckled San’s belt and opened his fly, pushed his boxers down just enough to wrap his fingers around San’s cock.

San panted into his mouth and tugged Wooyoung’s jeans below his ass. The muted bass was a steady reminder of the risk of getting caught. San hiked up one of Wooyoung’s legs and pressed in two fingers right away. Wooyoung was still loose enough and moaned when San inserted another finger.

“Hurry.”

Wooyoung tore open a condom packet and rolled the rubber onto San. San removed his fingers and grabbed Wooyoung’s ass to lift him until just his toes reached the floor, supported between the wall and San’s chest.

San bottomed out with a groan and didn’t waste time setting a quick pace that matched the beat banging on downstairs. Wooyoung’s breaths were louder in his ears, and Wooyoung’s fingers were digging into his back.

“How does it feel?”

“So good, San-ah. So good.”

“Who? Who makes you feel this good?”

“You do. Only you.”

San squeezed his eyes shut and chased his release. His orgasm hit him hard and fast, and for a few seconds, the high managed to convince him that this was all that he wanted from Wooyoung.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woosan alignment is chaotic horny.
> 
> san should really work on his coping mechanisms (or not. we are getting some good sexy times out of it).
> 
> how are u feeling abt this chapter? (*ﾉωﾉ) this fic has honestly not been going the way i thought it would (san will not do ANYTHING i tell him to do!) but i hope u are still enjoying it. pls comment below ur thoughts <3


	8. Chapter 8

“How was that for fun?” San’s chuckled breathlessly. His hand was sticky with Wooyoung’s release. He wiped it off on Wooyoung’s underwear while the sounds of the night club filtered back into his consciousness. San shivered as the sweat on his neck started cooling.

“Honestly?” Wooyoung groaned when San pulled out and lowered him down so that he could stand on his own feet. “This is the most fun I think I’ve ever had.” Wooyoung pulled up his jeans, a blush on his cheeks and lips kissed red.

San fumbled with his belt and wished that it had been just the afterglow of the orgasm that made his heart flutter.

“Let’s go before anyone catches us.” San turned around, but Wooyoung grabbed his wrist to stop him.

“Let me fix your hair first.” He carded his fingers through San’s hair, then gripped his neck to pull him in for one last kiss. San’s heart was beating out of his chest when Wooyoung smiled at him. “Let’s go.”

San followed Wooyoung down the stairs and back onto the club’s main floor. Somehow, Mingi’s warning echoed louder in his ears than the thumping bass. As they pushed their way to the bar counter, San reminded himself that Wooyoung was only looking for a fun time, and San wasn’t going to be the idiot who got hung up on wanting anything more.

This week was about what Wooyoung wanted, anyway.

This time, San let Wooyoung order their drinks. To give himself some time to get his thoughts together, he pulled out his phone and habitually clicked open Instagram, and when it didn’t load, turned on his internet connection without thinking about why it hadn’t been on in the first place.

Notifications filled his screen. The first one was a message from Seonghwa, sent earlier in the day.  _ I’m on my way to see your dad. You should be here _ .

San put his phone away. Seonghwa was right. Rationally, San knew that avoiding the inevitable was foolish, but even the mere thought of going home made his heart freeze. It was so much easier to stay.

San stared at the back of Wooyoung’s head. Even now, his fingers were itching to reach out for him, turn him around so that his smile could warm up San’s heart again. Maybe, if he came with San, it wouldn’t be so hard.

San shook his head. He needed to get out of here and clear his head before the warring emotions clouding his mind caused him to do something stupid.

While San had been caught up in his thoughts, Wooyoung had begun talking with the man on his other side. The man wasn’t much taller than San but wider in the shoulders. He had already gotten his drink, but based on the way he was leering at Wooyoung, he wasn’t leaving any time soon.

San put his arm around Wooyoung, over his shoulder and across his chest, and pulled him against his body.

“Did you get our drinks, Youngie-yah?”

Wooyoung giggled and turned his head to look at San. “Not yet, Sannie-yah.” He waved his credit card, effectively catching the attention of a bartender who picked it from his hand.

“You didn’t mention you’re here with your boyfriend”, the man said.

“He’s not my boyfriend. He’s—” Wooyoung never finished his sentence, attention caught by the bartender bringing back his card and two drinks. San met the man’s eyes, irritation spiking at the man’s smug grin.

“But I am  _ with  _ him, so how about you fuck off?”

“San-ah!” Wooyoung pressed a shot glass into San’s hand. “Let’s go dance. Okay?” He downed his shot, took San’s free hand in his and pulled him away from the man, only briefly glancing over his shoulder with an apologetic smile.

San emptied his shot glass and let himself be tugged onto the dance floor. After all the alcohol they had already drunk, the tequila seemed to hit in an instant. Letting the bass loosen up his body, with Wooyoung smiling at him, San thought that maybe this night wouldn’t end in a disaster, maybe—

But the man had followed them. He was pressing himself against Wooyoung’s back, big hands grabbing his waist, and when Wooyoung pushed him away and turned around, he pulled Wooyoung close again. Wooyoung put his hands on his chest to push him away, but the man didn’t budge, and San was out of patience.

Wooyoung pried the man’s hands off him just as San shoved him in the shoulder hard enough to make him stumble back. The crowd kept him close, and San sidestepped Wooyoung to pull the man closer. Before he could hit him properly, the man ripped San’s hands off his shirt and slammed his fist on San’s cheek.

San staggered. The people around them had noticed the fight and tried to restrain the man, but nobody managed to catch Wooyoung, who leaped forward to punch the man right on the nose.

“Hey. Hey!” San dragged him away before he could land another hit. “You’ll get yourself hurt.”

“Let me go.” Wooyoung struggled, swung his fists toward the man who was out of reach, but San tightened his hold on him.

“Let’s just go before they throw us out.”

“I’m going to throw  _ him _ out!”

“They’ll take care of that, too.” Arms around him, San held Wooyoung in front of himself and walked them outside.

On the street, Wooyoung pulled himself free and turned around to face San, brow furrowed in anger.

“You shouldn’t have held me back.”

“I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

“But he hurt you.” Wooyoung touched San’s cheek carefully, the anger in his eyes giving way to worry. In the pulsing lights, with adrenaline pumping in his veins, San had barely felt the punch, but the ache grew steadily stronger now that the distractions were gone.

San placed his hand on Wooyoung’s. “I’m fine. Let’s just go back to the hotel.”

“Okay.”

With their hands clasped between them, they made their way to the metro station, avoiding loud teenagers and drunk executives stumbling down the streets. It was hard to believe that it was only a Tuesday. San’s head felt completely clear, but he still tripped over his own feet when they stepped onto the metro.

Wooyoung pulled him to sit, and San slumped down gratefully, tilted his head back against the cool, rattling window. Next to him, Wooyoung inspected his hand with a grimace.

“Let me see.” This wasn’t the first time San had punched someone, used to dealing with rowdy drunks at his job, but he doubted Wooyoung had ever been in a fight before. Wooyoung’s knuckles were red, but otherwise, he seemed fine. “It will probably be sore, but nothing’s broken. Good thing your punches are weak.”

Wooyoung slapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll show you weak punches.”

San chuckled. “I don’t want to send you back home with a broken hand, so how about you just leave the punching to me from now on.”

“You didn’t have to do that, you know.” Wooyoung stroked his thumb carefully over San’s knuckles. “He would’ve left anyway.”

“I know. I wasn’t thinking. I was just so… angry.” Just the thought of the man’s sleazy smile and grabby hands made the hairs on San’s neck stand.

“Still, thank you. I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone protect me like that.” Wooyoung’s smile was shy and his touch soft, and San was in love.

“Are you okay?”

San sighed. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

The metro jerked to a stop. They got off, and San let Wooyoung lead the way back to their hotel. He couldn’t take his eyes off their hands and how perfectly they fit together. His feet felt heavy, and his heart heavier still.

The moment they were in their bed, warm underneath the covers, Wooyoung snuggled into San’s side. San wrapped an arm around him and took a deep breath, the scent of Wooyoung’s conditioner calming and grounding.

“Are you okay?”

San huffed. “You already asked me that.”

“I know. I just don’t feel like you were honest.”

San smiled, drawing circles onto Wooyoung’s bare shoulder. Of course Wooyoung would be able to tell.

“Was it the call with your mother?”

“That too.”

“She wants you to come home.”

“She does. And she’s right. I should be there helping organize everything. It’s just… hard.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“No.” Come with me. “Just being like this helps.”

Wooyoung pushed himself up on one elbow so that he could stare down at San. San stroked Wooyoung’s bangs away from his face while he waited for him to find the words he was so visibly looking for, teeth biting his bottom lip and a slight frown between his eyebrows.

“I know I’m not very smart, but… Is there something more? I understand that a family reunion can be stressful, but you seem… Are you sure that’s all?”

“It is. Stop worrying.” San kissed him and gently pressed his head down against his chest again. He smoothed out the wrinkle in Wooyoung’s forehead and breathed out in relief when Wooyoung nuzzled closer. “What about you? Did it help that you saw your friends?”

“Kind of.” Wooyoung’s steady breathing was warm against San’s neck. “I’m relieved that they know I’m okay now. And that they let me stay here. But I feel guiltier. It would have been easier if they’d told me that Suwon hates me now. He doesn’t deserve this.”

San hummed in quiet agreement. He knew what it was like to be left without warning. And even the thought that Wooyoung too would leave him soon made him pull Wooyoung closer, and unlike Suwon, he hadn’t known Wooyoung for years.

But San didn’t think Wooyoung deserved this either. He’d clearly never been trusted to make his own decisions, and if everyone had told him that marrying Suwon was a good idea, San could understand how they’d ended up where they were.

Wooyoung’s voice was a low murmur when he said, “I just… I keep wondering which is more stupid: running away or if I had stayed to get married.”

“Stop doing that.”

“What?”

“Calling yourself dumb. You are not stupid. You’re kind. There’s a difference.”

Wooyoung heaved a doubtful sigh. “What is kind about abandoning my fiancé?”

“It was kinder than marrying him, I think.”

“I guess.” Wooyoung rested his cheek on San’s chest to meet his eyes. His fingers had found their way to San’s neck, now softly twirling the ends of his hair, causing goosebumps over San’s skin. “I wish this week didn’t have to end.”

“Me too.” San didn’t hesitate to pull Wooyoung in for a kiss. Wooyoung sighed against his lips.

“Busan is starting to feel small. Every time we walk through the atrium I remember Yeosang and Mingi sitting there.”

“Then let’s leave. Let’s drive somewhere else.” San didn’t have time to consider his words before he had already spoken them. Wooyoung jerked his head back, eyes wide with surprise. 

“Like where?”

“I don’t know. I don’t care.” As long as I’m with you. As long as it was far from home. “To Jeju.”

Wooyoung laughed and threw one leg over San to straddle him. With a pleased smile, still twirling a strand of San’s hair around his finger, he said, “I’ve never been to Jeju.”

“Me neither.”

“Okay, then. Let’s go. Tomorrow morning. You can still make it home for Saturday.” Wooyoung ground down his hips and San placed his hands on them, encouraging him to keep moving. The pleasure quickly made San’s idea feel less bad.

San captured Wooyoung’s lips into a kiss, then muttered, “Or I’ll just skip the whole thing. I’d rather be with you anyway.”

Wooyoung laughed and deepened the kiss. “Okay. Sounds stupid, but okay.”

They checked out of the hotel the following morning. During breakfast, Wooyoung had been smiling and flirting, clearly happy to be leaving Busan behind, and San allowed his good mood to distract from his own guilt. He was aware that he was making a mistake. It just wasn’t enough to make him change his mind.

When they put their bags into the trunk, San turned his phone off and threw it in as well. Wooyoung didn’t notice. Pulling onto the highway running out from Busan, San turned the music louder and took Wooyoung’s hand in his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter but i expect the next one to make up for that haha.
> 
> A few of my fave sentences/paragraphs from this fic are in this chapter, actually, so i'm pretty happy with it. What's your favorite moment so far? ^^
> 
> woosan are ride or die.


	9. Chapter 9

The roads grew quieter the further they got from Busan, and Wooyoung grew increasingly bored. San couldn’t focus enough to entertain him, unable to keep up with the conversation, his laughs a beat too late. He tried to listen but it was hard when each passing mile took them further from Gyeongsan, further from home and his family, and cemented his impromptu decision to ditch all of it.

“Are you even listening to me?” Wooyoung asked eventually.

On both sides of the highway, brown mountains and dark green forests set a dreary backdrop. The sky was grey, but even without the sun, it was warm and it was humid, making San’s shirt stick to his back.

“San-ah!”

“I am.” San took Wooyoung’s hand before it could hit him on the shoulder again. Wooyoung pouted and squinted his eyes. San kissed the back of his hand before letting it go. “I’m sorry, I just spaced out. What did you say?”

“I said that we should probably stop for lunch soon.”

Wooyoung had made himself comfortable in the passenger seat, shoes kicked off and seat belt behind his back rather than across his chest. He had angled himself against the window to face San.

“That’s probably a good idea.”

“Maybe it’ll help you focus. Or, if you’re tired, I could drive.”

San shook his head and snapped, “I’d like to keep this car in one piece.” He softened his words with a smile. “I’ll feel better after we eat. Promise.”

“Good. I don’t like it when you aren’t paying attention to me”, Wooyoung teased, a bright smile on his lips again.

“I don’t like it either”, San said and tried to keep his eyes on the road when Wooyoung shifted in his seat to get closer to San. He tugged at the strap around his waist until it was loose enough for him to lean across the gearbox and stroke his hand up San’s thigh.

“Maybe there’s some other, more effective way, I could keep your attention.”

Wooyoung’s fingers grazed over San’s crotch. San’s first instinct, for once, was to slap his hand away, but he kept his grip on the wheel. Maybe this was just what he needed to cheer up. Wooyoung always made him feel good, and even now his touch made San’s cock begin to harden before he’d even gotten the zipper down.

“Don’t drive us off the road”, Wooyoung teased and tugged San’s cock out. San rolled his eyes and pushed Wooyoung’s head down.

“Stop being smart and put that pretty mouth to better use.” San let go of Wooyoung to hold the wheel with both hands. Wooyoung got him hard in no time, and San would have closed his eyes if he could.

Wooyoung wasn’t taking his time, probably eager to finish San off before the position got uncomfortable or anyone from the passing cars noticed what was happening. San barely paid them any mind.

Wooyoung’s mouth was warm and hungry, and he knew all the ways to get San weak in the knees. San’s mind wasn’t buzzing anymore, and he could barely focus on keeping them on the road, let alone fret about the miles he was putting between himself and where he should be.

A red car sped past them with a loud roar, and San fixed his eyes on its tail lights when it cut in front of them. His hand clenched around the wheel as he let go with the other, threading his fingers through Wooyoung’s hair instead. He was so close to coming, and he was probably speeding, but it was a struggle to keep his focus on the road.

“I’m gonna—” San managed before he spilled into Wooyoung’s mouth. Wooyoung simply swallowed him deeper, and San groaned and closed his eyes to enjoy the shudder of pleasure. When he opened them, the tail lights of the red car were right in front of them.

San hit the brakes and turned the wheel roughly. Wooyoung sat up with a squawk, eyes widening when he realized what had almost happened. Without crashing, San managed to stop the car by the side of the road.

His heart was beating bruises against his ribs. He forced his fingers to unclench around the wheel and breathed out through his teeth. The squeal of the brakes still echoed in his ears. Cars continued speeding past them.

“What happened?” Wooyoung wiped the side of his mouth with the back of his hand. San tucked himself back in, but his hands were shaking. It took several tries to get his zipper up. His voice was shaky too when he said,

“You almost killed us.”

“I—what?  _ I _ almost killed us?”

San couldn’t breathe. He gasped for air and fumbled with his seatbelt until it snapped open. He almost fell out of the car, stumbled along the white line to get away. Passing cars blared their horns.

“San-ah!”

San could hear Wooyoung get out of the car, but he didn’t turn around to look at him. Traffic was rushing past them, and the wind was rough, but all San could focus on was the rushing in his ears. They had almost  _ died _ and he had almost crashed the car and he should be going  _ home _ not to Jeju.

“Hey, what’s happening? San-ah, it’s okay, we’re fine—”

“We’re not fine!” San whipped around, fixing his gaze on Wooyoung who stopped out of arm’s reach. “We almost died because of you! And I shouldn’t even be here. If you weren’t such an id—”

“Such a  _ what _ ? Fuck you. You don’t get to blame your stupid decisions on me.”

It ended as quickly as it had started, the adrenaline that had made San rage leaving him in a heartbeat. Wooyoung was right. San fell into a crouch and pressed his palms against his eyes until they burned. His voice was quiet, but he hoped Wooyoung could hear his words over the rumble of the passing cars anyway.

“I’m sorry, I—it’s not you, I don’t—I like your blowjobs—I just…”

“Hey, hey, hey, I know. I know. It’s okay.”

San felt arms wrap around him and turned his head to hide his face against Wooyoung’s chest instead. Wooyoung hooked his chin on San’s head, and San slowly curled one hand to grip Wooyoung’s shirt.

“I’m just hungry”, San mumbled.

“Okay. We’ll get food.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know. I’m too. C’mon.” Wooyoung pulled San to his feet and hugged him properly. San held on tight and let the familiar smell of Wooyoung’s conditioner calm him down. “Let’s go. Do you want me to drive?”

San inhaled shakily and nodded.

Wooyoung drove them to the nearest rest stop. When he turned off the engine, San managed a smile. His hands had stopped trembling and his pulse had returned to normal, and he hoped that the unease in his stomach really was caused by hunger and not the guilt of running away.

They ate their hamburgers at one of the green tables outside.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Wooyoung asked and pushed their shared fries toward San.“We can still turn back. If you want to go home.”

San shook his head and fixed his sunglasses. The sun was blearily peeking through the heavy clouds, but he needed them more to shield his emotions from Wooyoung’s inquisitive glances.

“No.” San nudged the fries aside and grabbed Wooyoung’s hand instead. He squeezed, not sure if it was to reassure himself or Wooyoung that he was making the right choice. “I want to be with you.”

San drove the rest of the way, straight through the town and into the harbor. While Wooyoung went into the terminal to ask about the ferry schedule and tickets, San stepped out of the car and wandered to the edge of the parking lot.

Past the containers and ships and the fishing boats, he could see the silhouettes of smaller islands, and past them open sea. The sun was setting, and a salty wind tugged at San’s jacket. He let the serenity of it all calm him. A ferry was just arriving into the harbor making seagulls scream in the distance and waves lap against the piers.

“San-ah!” Wooyoung jogged over to his side. “There’s still room on the ferry that leaves tonight but we have to hurry if we want to make it.”

San sighed. “I don’t think I can go.”

“What? We still have time to catch the ferry. And I’ll pay, you don’t have to worry about it.”

“No, Youngie-yah, I can’t go to Jeju.” San turned his back on the ocean to look at Wooyoung instead. Once he got on the Jeju ferry, there would be no going back. And San wasn’t sure if that was something he could live with. As wonderful as it would be to just ignore everything and continue this escape from reality he’d been indulging in with Wooyoung, it had to come to an end.

Wooyoung’s mouth turned into a sad pout. “Why not?”

“I just… I can’t.”

“Okay. Then… Do you want to go home?”

“I…” San hesitated. Having made the decision didn’t make the prospect any less terrifying. And Wooyoung was looking at him, expectant but unmistakably sad, and the setting sunlight made his eyes glitter. He was beautiful and he would soon be gone, so San surged forward to kiss him. Wooyoung immediately threw his arms around San’s shoulders to hold him close, and San whispered against his lips, “I want one last night with you. Here. And tomorrow, I’ll go back home.”

Instead of checking into a hotel, San suggested they sleep in the car, parked somewhere where they could see the ocean. They stopped by the first grocery store they spotted. Wooyoung paid for most of it, the food and the canned coffee and the blankets, but San bought a packet of honey butter chips because he knew Wooyoung liked them and he still felt bad for the way he’d screamed at Wooyoung earlier.

They drove out of the town along the coastline until they found a place where they could park. It was nothing more than a wider stretch of roadside, sand instead of asphalt, with a railing to make sure no one drove off the cliffside into the ocean. The road had been narrow and unlit and devoid of other cars, and San hoped they wouldn’t be disturbed.

San covered the hood with one of the blankets so that they wouldn’t scratch it. Wooyoung giggled when they settled down with their backs against the windshield. The ocean was dark in front of them, and the only sounds were those of waves beating against the rocks somewhere below them.

The paper bag rustled when San reached into it. He handed Wooyoung the corndog and smiled when Wooyoung devoured it in two bites.

“Hungry?”

“Apparently.” Wooyoung grinned and wiped away the crumbs caught in the corner of his mouth with his thumb. “Keeping up with your mood swings is tiring.”

“Sorry”, San offered the last corndog to Wooyoung. “At least you won’t have to deal with them any longer.”

Wooyoung tilted his head to glance at San through his lashes. A blush dusted his cheeks when he murmured, “I didn’t mind.”

San didn't know what to say. For the first time, he wondered if maybe Wooyoung liked him too. Even just a little.

He cleared his throat. "Still. Let me apologize properly."

The kiss started out slow, and San gently guided Wooyoung to lie down, hovered over him and inched his hand underneath Wooyoung's shirt. When he pushed his fingers under Wooyoung's belt, Wooyoung grabbed his wrist to stop him. 

"San-ah, you don't have to…"

"No, let me."

"Okay, just, before you do…" Wooyoung intertwined their fingers, "Tell me the truth."

San froze. "What do you mean?" 

"I can tell you're… upset. And it's not just because of some annoying relatives you’re trying to avoid." 

"I don't want to talk about it.”

"But I think you need to. You can trust me, you know." 

"I know." San’s shoulders slumped. Wooyoung’s voice was kind, and he was warm next to San. The setting darkness felt comforting rather than scary around them. Still, San hesitated, words stuck in the back of his throat.

Wooyoung tilted San's head up to meet his eyes, then stroked his finger along San's jaw. “I want you to tell me.”

“That’s cheating.” San chuckled drily. Wooyoung's lopsided smile was apologetic.

“I wouldn't have to cheat if you weren't so damn stubborn.”

San sat up and let go of Wooyoung's hand. It was easier to look out at the dark ocean than at Wooyoung. He pulled his fingers through his hair, hugged his knees to his chest, and began quietly talking.

“My parents always worked really hard so that I could have anything I ever wanted. When I was a kid, I often stayed at my grandparents while they were working.

My dad gave me this car when I moved to Seoul.” San smiled at the memory. “I told him he wouldn't have to work so much anymore. I was going to get a good job and help them, but I guess it didn't matter because he never slowed down.”

"San-ah…"

San squeezed his knees harder. "He had a heart attack last week. The doctors think it was the combination of a bad diet and too much work."

“Is he…?”

“He died. Last Thursday. I got a week off from work to go home and help with the preparations for the funeral, but…”

“I'm so sorry.” Wooyoung’s hand on San’s shoulder was comforting, and San rested his cheek against it. “The funeral is on Saturday, isn't it?” 

“I didn't want to go home. It was easier to just pretend it wasn't true.” San had hoped that maybe if he didn’t go home, if he skipped the funeral, it just wouldn’t happen at all. He could return to Seoul and pretend that everything was the way he wanted it to be. In a whisper, he admitted, “I don't think I would have made it through this week without several breakdowns if it wasn't for you.”

Wooyoung shuffled closer and curled himself around San. “Now we got through it with just one.” San nodded and sank into his embrace. His chest shook when he inhaled, but his eyes were dry. Wooyoung said, “I'm so sorry. My thing seems so small now, I can't believe you've had to deal with it too this whole time.”

“No, Wooyoung-ah,” San turned his head and admitted, “I wanted to be here with you. And it wasn’t just about not going home. For me.”

“Good. It wasn’t just about not going back home for me either.”

Silence fell over them. San’s mind was blank. Even over the wind, San could hear Wooyoung’s whispered words clearly.

“I could come with you. To his funeral. If you want me to.”

San’s heart felt lighter than it had since he’d gotten the call about his father from his mother a week ago. He turned his head to whisper his reply against Wooyoung’s lips, “I do. I really do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how did we get from a one-night stand here? nobody knows.
> 
> tell me what you felt abt the reveal! it was surprisingly hard to write lol. i hope u r looking forward to the final destination of the roadtrip ^^


	10. Chapter 10

Wooyoung moved carefully, but his shuffling still woke San up. San groaned and blinked his eyes open. A bleak sun was shining in through the dirty car windows.

“Sorry”, Wooyoung leaned down to kiss the frown off San’s forehead, then opened the door. San curled into himself against the cool air and closed his eyes. His back ached from sleeping in the cramped backseat but while Wooyoung had been pressed against him, it had been tolerable, even comfortable.

“Come back”, San mumbled and wrapped his arms around himself. Wooyoung laughed, and the sound made San smile.

He felt better. The guilt that had made it hard to breathe had disappeared with the decision to go back home, and the fear had disappeared when Wooyoung promised to go with him. Even with his body aching after a night in the car and his toes getting cold from the morning air, he felt better.

“Get up so that we can go look for breakfast”, Wooyoung hollered from somewhere further away. With a groan, San straightened his legs and pushed himself up. Getting his shoes on was a struggle, and the muscles in his legs were stiff when he stood, and his back cracked when he stretched his arms.

“I’m too old to sleep in cars”, San said through a yawn. Wooyoung had walked to the edge of the cliff to relieve himself, but his laugh carried over with the wind.

“Lies.” Wooyoung closed his zipper and walked back with a wide smile. When he put his arms around San’s neck, San pulled him in by the waist. “Are you ready to go back home?”

San nodded and pecked Wooyoung on the lips before asking, just to be certain, “Are you sure about this? About coming with me?”

“I promised. Unless you want me not to, then…”

“I want you to come. I just wanted to make sure.”

Wooyoung smiled and kissed San lightly. “Let’s go then.”

San hummed and kissed him again, open-mouthed and grateful. Against his lips, he mumbled, “Just let me pee first and then we’ll find breakfast.”

A shower would have been nice, and San even tried to lure Wooyoung into the ocean for a dip, but in the end, they settled for fresh clothes and deodorant. Wooyoung put on the turtleneck he had bought in Busan, not wanting to meet San’s family for the first time with fading love bites littered over his neck.

San understood though he was sad to see them covered.

They stopped at the first café they spotted for breakfast before, finally, heading toward Gyeongsan.

Before pulling onto the highway, San called his mother.

“Hi, Mom.”

“ _ San-ah! Where are you? I was afraid you’d disappeared again. _ ”

“Of course not. I’m on my way home.”

“ _ That’s great to hear. I’m at the church right now but I'm heading home soon. When will you be here? We've got a lot to do today. _ ”

“In three hours or so. Mom, I’m bringing a… friend with me.” San glanced at Wooyoung, who stared out through the window.

“ _ Who? _ ”

“You don’t know him. He can sleep in my room and help with stuff, I promise he won’t be in the way.”

“ _ Okay. I’ve got to go. I’ll see you soon! _ ”

“See you soon, Mom.”

Two hours from Gyeongsan, San realized he hadn’t prepared Wooyoung for what he was about to face. He turned the radio off.

“Jongho, my cousin, can be a little loud. And brash. You shouldn’t let him get under your skin.”

Wooyoung laughed. “I think I’ll be fine. I’ve been called loud and brash too before.”

“Still… If he makes you uncomfortable, let me know.”

“Stop worrying, San-ah. I’ll be fine.” Wooyoung turned the music on again.

Half an hour from Gyeongsan, San pulled over at a gas station. While he was filling the tank, he realized his hands had begun shaking. Instead of returning to the driver’s seat, he opened the passenger side door and asked Wooyoung, “Can you drive?”

Wooyoung looked up at him, eyes wide with surprise. “Are you sure?”

“I trust you more than myself right now”, San said with a lopsided smile and handed him the keys.

San wiped his palms on his jeans when Wooyoung parked the car. Ever since they drove off the highway into Gyeongsan, he had been giving directions, but now his throat was dry. Wooyoung gave his hand a comforting squeeze.

“Almost there.”

San nodded and unbuckled his seatbelt. They grabbed their things from the trunk, and Wooyoung handed the car keys back to San. He craned his neck to look up at the balconies, probably trying to guess which one was San’s parents’. San took his hand when they began walking toward the door.

In the elevator, Wooyoung pulled San in for a kiss by his collar. San was taken by surprise, caught up in his nerves, but kissed him back anyway because there was no world in which he didn’t want to kiss Wooyoung. Wooyoung stepped back with a small smile when the elevator stopped.

“What was that for?” San asked and licked his lips.

“Just in case I won’t get to do it for a while.”

San wanted to ask him why he wouldn’t be kissing San in the foreseeable future, but before he could figure out an answer or ask, his feet had taken him to the door. He had the key in his hand, but it felt more right to ring the doorbell instead. Wooyoung shifted next to him, and San wondered whether he was nervous as well.

It wasn’t San’s mother who opened the door, but Jongho.

“Hyung! You asshole.” Jongho hugged him roughly, eyes reproachful still when he pulled away. “Took you long enough. How are you?”

“I got caught up with something.”

“Who’s this?” Jongho looked past San’s shoulder at Wooyoung, who smiled politely and adjusted the strap of his bag on his shoulder.

“Jung Wooyoung. Nice to meet you…”

“This is my cousin, Jongho”, San said when Wooyoung left his sentence hanging. “Jongho-yah, Wooyoung is a friend. From Seoul.”

“Nice to meet you”, Jongho said, then squinted his eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“Emotional support?”

“Stop being rude and let us in”, San said before Jongho could interrogate Wooyoung further. Jongho glanced at him and retreated into the apartment. San exchanged a smile with Wooyoung, and after they had toed off their shoes lead him into the living room with a hand on the small of his back.

The physical contact soothed them both, but when San spotted his mother, he dropped his hand and his bag and strode over to her.

She was half a head shorter than him but still looped her arms around his neck to hug him tight. San sagged into her embrace and pressed his face into her shoulder. Her flowery perfume smelled of home.

“Mom, I’m sorry I’m late.”

“It’s okay, honey.” She stroked his hair, then pulled back and took his face in her hands to meet his eyes with a warm smile. “I’m happy you’re here now.” San hugged her again and blinked away his tears. He hadn’t cried yet and he wasn’t going to start now.

“Mom”, San let go of her when his eyes stopped burning and gestured toward Wooyoung, “This is my friend, Wooyoung.”

He couldn’t quite tell why his heart beat so fast when his mother approached Wooyoung. Wooyoung’s smile was shy, and it widened when she enveloped him in a hug. San’s heart skipped a beat.

“Thank you for bringing my son home”, she said.

“I’m sorry it took so long. I’ll help however I can, Mrs. Choi.”

“Are you hungry?” She let go of Wooyoung to glance back at San. “Jongho was just helping me prepare some noodle soup. Let’s eat. We’ve got a lot to do today.”

“Sounds good. We’ll just take our things to my old room first.”

While his mother and Jongho returned to the kitchen, San lead Wooyoung down the hall to his room. He’d had the sense to clean out all embarrassing posters and toys before he left for Seoul and college. There were still childhood pictures on the chest of drawers, and some of his old clothes in the closet, but the bed wasn’t made with Spider-man sheets and the window sill was empty of plushies.

“Your mother is nice.” Wooyoung closed the door. “And I think I can get Jongho on my side.”

San chuckled and dropped his bag on the bed. “I’m sure you can.”

Wooyoung had walked over to inspect the framed photographs, but San grabbed him by the waist and turned him around to kiss him. Wooyoung’s bag fell on the floor with a thud when he gripped San’s arms and opened his mouth to deepen the kiss. San tugged at his bottom lip.

“It didn’t take too long to get to kiss me again, did it?” He murmured and swallowed up whatever answer Wooyoung might have tried to give.

The door handle still creaked when it was pushed down, and San let go of Wooyoung before the door was opened. He reached for his bag as if nothing had happened and turned to Jongho, who was standing in the doorway.

“What?”

“Your mother told me to bring sheets for Wooyoung while she finishes with the food.” Jongho’s expression was unimpressed, but San hoped that he wouldn’t pick up on Wooyoung’s reddened lips and San’s twitchiness. “The extra mattress is still under your bed.”

“Oh. We’ll get it. Thanks.” San took the sheets from Jongho and avoided his eyes. Wooyoung was smiling, polite and composed. “We can set it up later.” San had no intentions of having Wooyoung sleep on a mattress on the floor when his bed could fit them both, but it was safer to set it up anyway in case Jongho would keep barging in in the future.

After the late lunch, during which San was caught up on everything that still needed to be done, they set about finishing his mother’s to-do list. Wooyoung volunteered to help set up the venue for the wake, so San dropped them all off there before driving to the florist. Hongjoong was working, and San caught up with his childhood friend for over an hour before continuing to check off the items on the to-do list.

The day passed quickly. San went through the motions, doing his best not to think about Saturday, and wondering why Wooyoung chose to help with anything that kept the two of them apart.

He didn’t have a chance to confront him about it until the evening when Wooyoung emerged from the shower and entered San’s room with just a towel wrapped around his waist.

San had been waiting on the bed, already showered. He’d prepared the mattress, but before Wooyoung could get dressed or lie down on it, San pulled him onto the bed. Wooyoung supported himself on his arms so that he wouldn’t crush San, and San held him close so that he wouldn’t get up.

“What are you doing?” Wooyoung asked.

“What are  _ you _ doing?”

“What do you mean?”

“I feel like you’ve been avoiding me today.” San kept his tone playful and nipped at Wooyoung’s bottom lip while he waited for an answer. Wooyoung frowned lightly and turned his head away.

“I thought that was what you wanted.”

San raised his eyebrows. “What gave you that idea?”

“You pushed me away when Jongho almost saw us”, Wooyoung whispered. “And you’ve been introducing me as a friend to everyone.”

“It’s the truth.”

“I know. Still…”

Lying this close, there was no way for Wooyoung to hide his feelings. He was hurt, and San hated that it was his fault, but he had no other choice.

“I don’t want to have to explain to everyone why they’ll never see you again. You’re leaving, Wooyoung-ah. No matter what I want”, San dropped his eyes to Wooyoung’s neck, stroked a finger over a dark but fading bruise, “You’re not my boyfriend.”

Wooyoung shuddered under his touch. His voice was breathy when he leaned in the whisper, “What do you want?” 

“I want you.” San kissed him before he could say anything more. Like how he wanted Wooyoung to stay.

Wooyoung pulled him closer by the neck and pushed his tongue against San’s. His towel fell open as he straddled San’s thigh, and San pushed against his crotch, licked the desperate whimpers off his lips before they could get too loud.

“I want you too, San-ah. Want you so bad”, Wooyoung moaned against San’s lips. San turned them around, let Wooyoung tear his shirt off, and attacked his mouth again. His heart was racing, his cock throbbing, and he needed Wooyoung as much as he wanted him.

San’s bag was within arm’s reach, and San got the lube without detaching his lips from Wooyoung’s. Wooyoung spread his legs, and when San pushed in the first finger, Wooyoung bit down on a whimper.

“I’m going to need you to be quiet. Can you do that for me, Youngie-yah?”

Wooyoung nodded. San worked him open, unable to take his eyes off Wooyoung’s face. His eyes were scrunched shut in his effort to keep silent, and San made it easier for him by kissing him until his lips went numb.

San was only on the second finger when Wooyoung grabbed his wrist. “I’m ready. Please, San-ah, want you inside me.”

“Are you sure?”

Wooyoung nodded, kept nodding, so San pulled his fingers out and reached toward his bag for the condoms, but once again Wooyoung stopped him.

“No. Please. I’m clean.”

“Okay. Okay.” San kicked off his boxers and settled between Wooyoung’s legs. Wooyoung’s heels dug into his back when he positioned his cock against Wooyoung’s hole and eased it inside.

Sinking into Wooyoung had never felt so good, and never been so torturous. Without the condom, San could feel him so much better, but with the minimal prep, and the fear of being too loud, San went slow and stilled when he bottomed out. Even their heavy breathing seemed loud in the room.

“I’m okay, I’m ready. Please, move.”

The light from the bedside lamp created shadows over Wooyoung’s face. San kept his eyes fixed on it, wondered if he would ever be able to look away, and he began rolling his hips. Wooyoung’s eyes fluttered open. He smiled, and San kissed him before to keep from telling him how beautiful he was. Wooyoung’s nails scratched down San’s back, and San drowned his whimper against Wooyoung’s lips.

San thrust into him harder when he was sure that Wooyoung had adjusted to his size, punching staccato moans out of him. And when they got too loud, San put his hand over Wooyoung’s mouth.

“I said, quiet”, he murmured sharply and smirked when Wooyoung gasped, the sound muffled by San’s palm. Wooyoung’s cock was hard, precum smearing over their stomachs as it twitched when San increased his pace.

Wooyoung’s breathing hitched and he clenched around San when he came, untouched and soundless. San rolled his hips smoothly, waited until Wooyoung relaxed in his arms before he chased his own orgasm. Wooyoung turned his head enough to be able to take San’s fingers into his mouth. He sucked on them, eyes locked onto San’s, and San came with a shudder.

Their breathing was the only sound in the room again. San pulled his fingers from Wooyoung’s mouth and threaded them through his hair instead to kiss him. The lingering high made his body heavy, and before it got uncomfortable he eased his cock out of Wooyoung and settled next to him.

Wooyoung turned onto his side and kept kissing San, lazy rather than desperate now.

“Do you want to get cleaned up?” San asked against his warm lips. Wooyoung shook his head. San held him closer.

“Want to feel you in me tonight.”

San curled his arm around Wooyoung. He pulled the cover over them, not caring if it got too hot. Wooyoung’s breathing slowed down, and San let the sound lull him to sleep. There had never been a chance, he admitted to the darkness, for him not to fall in love with Wooyoung.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> note to self: i should probably not try to write a whole chapter in a day.
> 
> they have arrived! how are you feeling about this last weekend? there's a lot going on so i'd love to hear from all of u if it's working. how do u feel abt the progress of woosan's relationship and where do u think it's going?


	11. Chapter 11

Friday was spent in much the same way as Thursday, preparing for the funeral with San doing his best not to really think about it. Between driving his mother to the hairdresser and buying suits, San and Wooyoung ate lunch at a busy market. San didn’t care that he was being clingy, leaning into Wooyoung’s side while they finished their bowls of kalguksu and keeping his arm around Wooyoung’s shoulders when they walked out. He hadn’t visited the cemetery yet. Perhaps Wooyoung could tell that he was feeling scared of it because he was doing his best to keep San distracted with a steady stream of conversation while they drove.

San couldn’t afford a tailored suit, so they visited a crowded outlet in an industrial district rather than a small shop in the city center. San had grown out of his suit, the one he had last worn on his graduation, and Wooyoung only had the white one with him, still wrapped up in the back of San’s car. San had refused his mother when she’d offered him money to buy a new one. He’d just pick up extra shifts for the next couple of months to pay off his credit card bill.

He refused Wooyoung’s offer of buying the suit for him as well.

The last item on the agenda for the day was picking up San’s grandparents for dinner. They lived outside the city, still on the same farm that San had used to spend his weekends and summer vacations on. Driving into the yard brought back a flood of nostalgia, and San felt his throat constrict.

He swallowed heavily before getting out of the car.

The porch creaked underneath his feet. San knocked on the door and stepped back so that it wouldn’t hit him in the face when his grandmother opened it. She smiled wide, wrinkled face scrunched up when she pulled him into a hug.

“There you are!” she said and kissed him on the cheek before giving him a long once-over. She had the same eyes as her son. San had heard he’d inherited them as well. “It’s so good to see you. Poor boy. How are you feeling?” 

“I’m fine. What about you?” San’s grandfather emerged from the house with two bags in his hands. San bowed in greeting, and his grandfather patted him on the shoulder.

“We’re holding up. Seeing you already makes me feel better.”

Uncomfortable under their sympathetic eyes, San took a step back and cleared his throat. “Do you have everything you need for tomorrow?”

Smile dimming, his grandmother sighed. “Help your grandfather carry the bags. I’ll lock the doors.”

San pulled out of the yard with his grandfather sitting next to him, back straight and eyes focused on the road. It all reminded San of his own father. Except his father had always supported him even when it put him at odds with San’s grandfather. San rubbed his earlobe absentmindedly. He’d taken off his earrings just so that he wouldn’t have to hear the inevitable complaints about them.

When they pulled onto a bigger road, his grandfather asked, “Are you still working at that bar?”

“Yeah.”

“When will you apply for something else? That college degree of yours is wasted on bartending.”

Sans’ grandmother reached from the backseat to slap her husband on the shoulder. “Don’t be so harsh on him. If bartending is what he wants to do, then we should support that.”

San appreciated the gesture, and he was used to defending his job, along with most other choices he’d made in his life, but this time the question didn’t raise his hackles like it used to. “I hadn’t really thought about it, but…” But maybe it was time to. “I think I’m going to start looking for something else.”

His grandfather hummed approvingly, eyes still on the road. His grandmother squeezed his shoulder and said, “We love you, no matter what.”

San helped his grandparents settle into the guestroom, then met up with Wooyoung, who had stayed behind to help with dinner, in the hallway. Nothing had been set on fire, but Wooyoung had a band-aid on his finger.

“I told her I shouldn’t be allowed in the kitchen”, Wooyoung said with a grimace when San noticed it. “She didn’t believe me, I think, but after I cut my finger she just had me set the table.”

“I didn’t know you couldn’t cook”, San admitted and let go of Wooyoung’s hand when his grandparents approached them. Wooyoung shrugged and turned to face them with a polite smile. He bowed while San introduced them. San could see his grandfather judge the diamonds hanging from Wooyoung’s ears, but before he could say anything, San’s mother called them into the dining room.

Jongho was at home with his own family, so it was only them around the round table. San was sitting between his grandmother and Wooyoung, his mother on Wooyoung’s other side, fussing over Wooyoung’s band-aid while San began serving the chicken.

“Is this your first time visiting San’s hometown?” San’s grandmother asked, glancing at Wooyoung over the bowl of salad she was holding.

“It is. I’ve enjoyed it, even under these circumstances.”

“And have you known each other for long? I know some of San’s friends are coming to the funeral, but we’ve known them for years.”

“Oh, well—”

“For a while”, San interrupted. “He’s really been there for me lately.” San couldn’t keep the fondness from his tone. Wooyoung touched his thigh under the table lightly before withdrawing his hand.

“Is he from your work?” San’s grandfather asked.

“We met at the club, yes.” San shared a look with Wooyoung before they both stuffed food into their mouths to hide their smiles. San’s grandfather mumbled something, most likely disapproving, but San could ignore him when his mother began speaking.

“You know, Wooyoung-ah, I met San’s father at a dance too. It wasn’t like the clubs these days, but it was definitely my moves on the floor that caught his attention.”

Wooyoung chuckled while San almost choked on his food.

“I’m sure you are still a wonderful dancer.”

“That’s very sweet of you to say, Wooyoung-ah. Maybe I can show you next time San brings you here.”

“I look forward to it.”

The conversation moved on with San’s grandfather speaking about the farm. By the time they’d finished the food, San still hadn’t managed to shrug off the suspicion that his mother knew more than she let on. When she asked him to help her load the dishwasher, his suspicions were confirmed.

“So…” she said, hip cocked against the counter, idly watching San put the plates away, “Why haven’t you asked Wooyoung to be your boyfriend?”

San’s hand stilled. He glanced into the dining room, where his grandmother was telling Wooyoung about San’s summers at the farm, before fixing his eyes on his mother. “What?”

She rolled her eyes in fond exasperation. “It’s obvious you adore him.”

“I do”, San admitted with a sigh and continued filling the dishwasher. He’d long since given up on trying to lie to his mother. “I just don’t know if he feels the same way. We haven’t known each other for very long.”

“And still, he’s here for you. That has to mean something.”

“Maybe.”

San’s mother broke the heavy silence with a quick hug. Her red lips were pulled into a smile. “Well, I think he’s wonderful. You should ask him before someone else does.”

Too late. San closed the dishwasher and pressed it on. It whirred to life, and he hesitated, but then reached out for her before she could rejoin the others.

“Mom, when did you know you loved Dad?”

She returned to his side and took his face in her hands. Her tone was soft when she said, “Love takes time, honey. But I knew I wanted to love him after our first date. And after our first fight, when instead of leaving, he comforted me, I knew that I would.”

San placed his hands on hers. Her palms were warm and comforting against his cheeks, and he wondered if she could feel how flushed they got at her words. The dishwasher was loud, but the voices still carried from the dining room. He couldn’t make out the words, just Wooyoung’s laughter.

“I got angry at Wooyoung a few days ago. Screamed at him on the side of a highway.”

“Why?”

“It was—I wasn’t really angry because of him. I was just…” Sad and guilty and terrified. San didn’t know which word to choose, but his mother seemed to understand. She stroked her thumbs over his cheekbones.

“What did he do?”

“He held me and told me it would be alright.”

“Oh, honey.” She let her hands drop to San’s shoulders to pull him against her. San wrapped his arms around her waist and breathed deeply, throat choked up with emotion again. “He’s a smart boy. You should listen to him.” When they parted, she wiped her eyes. “Let’s go back before your grandparents terrorize him too much.”

They returned to the table, San’s grandmother kept telling a story about their invasive neighbors, and San took Wooyoung’s hand in his under the table.

San’s grandparents went to bed early, closing the door to their room behind them. San’s grandfather had left the TV on in the living room. There was an old soccer game playing, and Wooyoung curled up on the couch to watch it. San’s mother set up her ironing board, and after a second’s hesitation, San joined Wooyoung on the couch. Wooyoung glanced at him in surprise when San put an arm around him but folded into his side without protest.

“How are you?” he murmured.

“Exhausted.” San pressed a kiss to his forehead. Out of the corner of his eye, San could see the smile on his mother’s face as she pretended to ignore them.

“Do you want to go to bed?”

“I’m not tired yet.” San hugged Wooyoung closer. Wooyoung slid his arm around San’s waist and rested his head on San’s shoulder.

“We need to wake up early tomorrow”, San’s mother said. They were all speaking in hushed tones so as not to wake up San’s grandparents. Even the TV’s volume was turned low, the commentator’s words barely distinguishable. “You two should turn in soon. Jongho is coming here for breakfast.”

“So should you”, San said and turned his eyes from the screen to his mother. “Can’t the ironing wait?”

“This is my dress for tomorrow. I don’t want it to have a single wrinkle. Your father liked it when I dolled myself up for—for him.” Her voice trembled. She grabbed the iron harder. “I had to sell the necklace he got me for our anniversary to pay for the funeral, so I won’t have anything pretty to w-wear… Oh.”

She put the iron down and pressed her hand to her mouth, and San rushed to her. She’d been so strong, so good at avoiding her emotions in the same way San was, but when he wrapped his arms around her, she sagged into the embrace.

He held her tighter when he felt her tears wet his shirt. Wooyoung was looking at them with wide eyes full of sorrow.

She whispered, “I would have wanted to look pretty for him one last time.”

“I know”, San murmured and stroked her hair. He squeezed his eyes closed, could feel his own tears threatening to spill over. A soft touch on his shoulder stopped him from breaking down with his mother.

“I’m sorry. I know it’s not the same thing, but…” Wooyoung’s voice coaxed San’s mother to turn her eyes to him. San’s gaze dropped from Wooyoung’s earnest face to his hand. The diamond earrings lay on his palm. “You can have them. If it helps.”

“Oh, darling, I couldn’t”, San’s mother said with a wet smile and closed Wooyoung’s fingers around the jewels.

“Please.” Wooyoung turned their hands around and dropped them into her palm. Her breathing hitched, and she let go of San to hug Wooyoung, the hand with the earrings trapped between them. San could see Wooyoung blink away his tears when she let go of him.

“Thank you.” She chuckled wetly and wiped her eyes. “I’ll give them back before you leave. You really are sweet. I can see why my son cares for you.”

Wooyoung looked at San, but San turned his head away, hoping the dim light was enough to hide the tears that had managed to escape his hold on them. Still, he let Wooyoung take his hand. 

“I think it’s time we all go to bed, otherwise we’ll wake up with swollen faces tomorrow. I’ll just finish this. You two go wash your teeth first.”

“We will. Good night.”

“Good night, Mom.”

San tried to keep the all-consuming sorrow at bay while they prepared for bed. He refused to look at his reflection in the mirror while he brushed his teeth, afraid that his eyes would be red and shiny with unshed tears. He shed his clothes on the floor and stumbled into bed.

The covers felt cold, and San shivered until Wooyoung climbed in behind him. He settled himself against San’s back, his breath steady against San’s neck and his hand grounding on San’s chest.

“Thank you for that”, San managed to say without his voice breaking. His words were followed by a sob.

“Of course. San-ah, turn around.” Wooyoung eased his hold, and San complied. He settled his face against the crook of Wooyoung’s neck. Underneath his lips, San could feel Wooyoung’s pulse flutter steadily. “It’s okay to cry.”

San squeezed his eyes shut. Tears streamed down his face, dripped onto Wooyoung’s skin, but there was nothing San could do to stop them any longer. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’m here.” Wooyoung’s words only made San cry harder. He clutched onto Wooyoung’s shoulders harder, and Wooyoung held him even as his body wracked with sobs he uselessly tried to choke down. “I’m not going anywhere.”

And San knew that Wooyoung didn’t mean it like that, but he allowed himself to pretend that the promise was for good. San kissed his tears off Wooyoung’s neck. The love bites were barely visible in the dark of the room, and would be gone by the time Wooyoung left. San wondered whether he’d managed to leave a mark on Wooyoung that would stay, but shut down the thought before it could make him cry again.

“My eyes will be puffy tomorrow”, he muttered. Wooyoung’s chest rumbled with a quiet chuckle.

“That’s probably understandable for your father’s funeral.”

“I guess.” San had wanted to make it through the week without crying. He wanted to be strong for his mother tomorrow. He nuzzled closer to Wooyoung, felt Wooyoung press a kiss to the top of his head, and hoped that Wooyoung would be strong for him. “Don’t leave my side tomorrow.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

San woke up, head on Wooyoung’s chest, eyes bleary, but body unexpectedly light and warm. When he rubbed his eyes, Wooyoung’s arm tightened around his shoulders. San relaxed into his hold. He couldn’t remember when he’d fallen asleep or what the last thing they’d said had been, but he didn’t feel like crying anymore.

A knock on the door made San open his eyes again, and without waiting for a response, Jongho opened the door and stopped to stare at the couple cuddled up on the bed.

Despite his eyebrows disappearing underneath his bangs, he merely said, “You should get up. Breakfast is almost ready.”

He closed the door again. San pushed himself up on an elbow to gaze down at Wooyoung, who blinked himself awake, a soft smile on his lips. San kissed him and only stopped when they’d run out of breath.

“Let’s get up.”

The apartment was quiet while everyone got ready. Conversation over breakfast was muted. San, used to loose tank tops and ripped jeans, was uncomfortable in his suit, and his mind was too empty to even appreciate how good Wooyoung looked in his. His reflection in the mirror was tired, but San styled his hair to compensate for it.

Jongho left first with San’s grandparents and mother in his car. San and Wooyoung needed to stop by the florist to get the flowers and pick up Hongjoong. San locked up, mind both empty and racing at the same time, unable to speak a word on their way down to the car.

He could still leave. Drive out of Gyeongsan and never have to see the grave and the tombstone and his weeping mother. His hands were steady when he buckled up the seatbelt. Maybe it was the breakdown he’d had last night that had left him so calm.

He was jerked out of his thoughts when Wooyoung slipped his hand in his. Maybe it was Wooyoung’s steady presence that gave him the courage to face the funeral.

“Are you ready?” Wooyoung asked softly.

“No, but…” San squeezed his hand and mustered a genuine smile. “I’ll be fine as long as you’re there.”

“Then you’ll be fine.”

San nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did this make u sad? i hope so. mwahaha.
> 
> u might have noticed i've added one more chapter to the final chapter count, so we're looking at 13 chapters rn all in all. i hope u r okay with this ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡


	12. Chapter 12

“I want to go home.” San kept his words low so that only Wooyoung would hear them. “Or anywhere else but here.” He had had enough of people’s sympathetic looks and careful words. He was out of small talk and unable to keep up the polite smile that was neither too happy nor too sad to offend anyone. All he wanted right now was to spend some time with his friends and talk about anything else but his dead father.

The funeral had left him exhausted, and the wake was even more straining. He hadn’t been lying to Wooyoung when he had complained about his family and how little he had in common with them. Keeping up a polite facade when one distant aunt after another offered their condolences and then immediately asked whether he’d found a girlfriend yet had San one second away from bailing on the spot.

“It’s almost over”, Wooyoung said. He had kept his word, staying as close to San as much as possible. In the church, he’d had to sit with San’s friends further back, but when they’d lowered the coffin he’d been back by his side, and hadn’t left it since.

“I know. Half an hour and we can get out of here but it’s going to feel so fucking long.”

“I could create a distraction so that you can sneak out.”

San huffed in dry amusement. “And what would you do?”

“I don’t know.” Wooyoung looked around the room with a smile. “I could start singing really loud. Or just scream. I think that would get everyone’s attention.”

“It would.” San rested his hand on the small of Wooyoung’s back for a moment. They were standing by the windows, out of the worst throng, and could get away with small touches. “But it’s probably best that you don’t. Thanks for the offer, though.”

Wooyoung grinned. Just his smile made San feel better. “Let me know if you change your mind.”

“I will. I should go check on my mom. Make sure she’s okay.”

“Hyung!” Jongho stopped in front of them, empty coffee cup in his hand. Hongjoong and Seonghwa followed a couple of steps behind him. They’d all been too busy helping with the arrangements and catching up with distant relatives to exchange more than quick hugs before the service, and San was grateful that none of them had asked him how he was doing yet. “My parents want to leave so I’m driving them home soon.”

“Okay.”

“Text me about tonight.” Jongho, usually not much for physical contact, pulled San into a quick hug. “I’ll see you later.”

“I will. Thanks for coming.” Jongho left, and San turned to Seonghwa and Hongjoong. “You too. I really appreciate you being here.”

“Of course”, Hongjoong said. “You look about ready to get in Jongho’s car too.”

San sighed. “Not going to lie, I am considering hiding in his trunk. But I think I can manage one more round around the room. I was just about to go ask Mom if there’s anything we can still help with. You guys have met Wooyoung-ah, right?”

“Hongjoong-hyung asked me to sit with them in the church”, Wooyoung said. “They’ve been taking good care of me.”

“Good. Look after him while I find my Mom. I don’t want any of the aunts getting to him.” San ignored Wooyoung’s eye roll and Seonghwa’s chuckle. “I’ll be right back.”

San’s mother was standing close to the exit talking with Jongho’s parents. The couple had their coats on, and San waited until they’d left before approaching his mother. Her smile was tired when she pulled him against her side.

“I think your father would have been happy to see how many people came today.”

“I’m sure he would be. Is there anything left to do?”

“We just need to take the cards with us when we leave and the rest of the food. And I want to take some of the flowers. Hongjoong made them too pretty to be thrown away.” She patted him on the cheek. “Make sure to treat your friends to meat after this for all their help.”

“I will.” San glanced across the room, happy to find Wooyoung still talking comfortably with Seonghwa and Hongjoong. They’d be leaving tomorrow, but he hoped his friends would be free to spend some time in the evening. “Will you be okay if I go out tonight?”

“Of course, honey. You shouldn’t worry about me.”

San dropped his gaze. “But I do. And I’m sorry you had to do all of the preparations alone. And I’m leaving tomorrow, but maybe I could get some more time off, or if you want to, I could move back or you could move to Seoul—”

“San-ah, why would anyone be moving?”

“I just don’t want you to be alone.”

“Oh honey, come here”, she tugged him into a hug by his shoulders and continued, “I won’t be alone. I’ve got family and friends who will look after me. You shouldn’t think of me sadly.”

“I just—Dad took care of you. He worked so hard and I thought maybe I should—”

“Honey. We took care of each other, and now that he’s gone I’ll take care of myself. But he didn’t work hard for me; he worked hard  _ for you _ . All he wished for was for you to be able to have everything you wanted."

“What about you?” San raised his gaze and met his mother’s eyes. She stroked his cheeks comfortingly and smiled.

“I just want you to be happy.” She blinked away the tears welling up in her eyes. “And to let me cut your hair before you leave.” When she tugged at the strands tickling San’s neck, San took her hands and lowered them.

“Maybe next time.”

She smiled and squeezed his hand before letting go. “That’s what you always say. Now, go back to your Wooyoungie while I try to get everyone to leave. My feet are aching and I want to get home as soon as possible to eat the rest of the cake in peace.”

San huffed and felt a genuine smile tug at the corners of his lips for the first time in hours. “I love you, Mom.”

“You too, honey.”

A couple about to leave caught San’s mother’s attention so San slipped through the room back to Wooyoung and his friends. Wooyoung was covering his mouth with his hand, but his glimmering eyes gave his smile away. Hongjoong finished his sentence just as San arrived. He glanced at San and said, “But you can’t tell him I told you.”

“I promise”, Wooyoung replied and dropped his hand. His fingers stroked the back of San’s hand.

“Whatever he told you is a lie”, San protested. “He doesn’t know anything.”

“I thought you two had known each other since you were kids?”

“We have”, Hongjoong grinned. “And Seonghwa can fill you in on all the embarrassing stuff San did in college.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t hang out tonight.” San put his arm around Wooyoung’s shoulder. People were slowly leaving, and he needed the support to get through the last hour. Wooyoung tilted his head to gaze up at him.

“What’s happening tonight?”

“Nothing, if these two don’t stop gossiping.”

“I haven’t said a word”, Seonghwa said.

“Because San’s leaving tomorrow, we thought we’d go down to the park”, Hongjoong said. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other. You’re welcome too, of course.”

“Sounds fun. I can’t wait to hear more embarrassing stories about San.”

San shook his head, about to protest, when his phone vibrated in his pocket. Yunho had sent a message,  _ Everything OK at the bar. How was today? You can take a few extra days off if you need to _ . San put his phone away and returned his attention to Wooyoung.

“I’ve never been embarrassing in my life. How about we instead focus on emptying that whiskey bottle that we’ve been driving around the country for the past week.”

“That sounds like a pretty good plan too”, Wooyoung admitted, though San could tell by the twinkle in his eyes that he would not stop digging for dirt on San. 

Over strips of beef sizzling on the grill, Wooyoung managed to drag out every detail of San’s childhood from Hongjoong, and during the walk to a nearby park, he switched his attention to Seonghwa. San had tried to stop him, but as always, Wooyoung got what he wanted. So while he pestered Seonghwa, San walked with Hongjoong a couple of steps behind them, passing the whiskey back and forth.

“Wooyoung said you spent the week in Busan together?”

“Yeah.”

“Why? I mean, you were supposed to be here.” Hongjoong didn’t sound accusing, simply curious.

“I guess I wanted to avoid reality for a bit.”

“I understand. Was it fun, at least?”

“It was.” In front of them, Wooyoung had threaded his arm through Seonghwa’s. San smiled at the sight and stumbled to the side when Hongjoong bumped into him with a knowing smirk. San fell back into step with him. “I don’t know if I’d have gotten through today without it.”

“And how are you feeling now?”

“Alright. I think I might come back next time I’ve got a couple of days off. Say goodbye properly.”

“Still haven’t accepted it?”

“No, I have. I think. I just… need some more time to really grieve, I guess.”

“That’s fine. Just take care of yourself.”

Surrounded by high-rises on all sides, the park was usually full of walking couples and loud children, but now it was mostly empty. The lights by the basketball courts in the furthest corner had been turned off, but there were still kids playing by the moonlight. The paths were lit, and the artificial lake in the middle of the park reflected the cloudy sky above them.

They sat down at a picnic table by the lake, and Wooyoung sat down next to San and threw an arm around his shoulders. “Seonghwa tells me you used to kick him out from your dorm room every weekend so that you could hook up with people in peace.”

San glared at Seonghwa, who smiled apologetically and took the whiskey bottle from Hongjoong. Not that San could blame him too much for giving into Wooyoung’s pestering. San slipped his arm around Wooyoung’s waist and said, “I’ve never been shy about going after the people who catch my eye.”

“I’ve noticed.” Wooyoung’s hand settled on San’s thigh. “Anyone catch your eye recently?” He batted his lashes, and San was leaning in to kiss him without thinking about it.

“Youngie-yah, you’re all that I see”, he murmured and pressed their lips together. Seonghwa and Hongjoong’s groans were drowned out by a loud shout from Jongho, approaching along the path at a light jog. San pulled back and turned his eyes from Wooyoung’s satisfied smile to Jongho, who sat down with an exaggerated huff.

“You already got started without me?”

Seonghwa handed him the whiskey. “You’re going to need it.”

Jongho wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Why?” His eyes landed on San, and San didn’t bother schooling the content expression on his face. Jongho rolled his eyes and took another swig off the whiskey. “How did the rest of the wake go?”

“It was okay. People left pretty quickly.” After driving his mother and the flowers and the cake home, San had taken his grandparents to the farm. His grandmother had tucked some money into his pocket the way she always did, and his grandfather has invited him to come over and help at the farm the way he always did. Afterward, San and Wooyoung had had half an hour to cuddle in bed before they left San’s mother to eat cake by the TV.

“I was sad that I couldn’t come out to eat with you guys, but honestly, if those two”, Jongho pointed the bottle at San and Wooyoung, “were like this the whole time, I’m fine with it.”

“Like what?” San challenged. Wooyoung snickered and took the bottle from Jongho. “We’ve behaved.” Wooyoung nodded, and San tucked him in closer. Originally, he’d been apprehensive about being affectionate with Wooyoung in front of his friends, but he was pretty sure any subtlety was useless by now. They could all read him like an open book, and even San couldn’t pretend he hadn’t been clinging to Wooyoung for the whole day. The whiskey only made him clingier.

“Debatable. But it’s fine”, Hongjoong said, “It’s just that San’s never brought a boyfriend home before. We’re not used to him being like this.”

Reflexively, San said, “He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Yeah, right.” Jongho rolled his eyes. “You’re just very good friends who make out and sleep in the same bed then?”

“Poor Jongho-yah, what have you seen?” Seonghwa patted him on the back with an exaggeratedly sympathetic face.

“Too much. I’m scarred for life.”

San briefly considered throwing them all into the lake. “You haven’t seen shit. Youngie-yah, back me up here.”

“We’ve only been dating for a week.”

“Already a long-term commitment for San-hyung then”, Jongho teased, and maybe Hongjoong could sense that San was about to hike Jongho over his shoulder and toss him into the water, because he leaned across the table for the whiskey bottle and gestured for them to calm down.

“Stop teasing him, Jongho-yah. We do want him to come and visit again within a year.”

“I guess.” Jongho winced when Seonghwa elbowed him in the side. “Okay, okay! I’m sorry. I’m just messing with you, San-hyung. I approve of the boyfriend.”

“I approve of you too, Jongho-yah”, Wooyoung said sweetly. San chuckled and rested his head on Wooyoung’s shoulder. Seonghwa began telling a story about how he and San almost got evicted from their dorm in their third year, and San didn’t bother protesting any longer, not when Wooyoung’s shoulders quivered with laughter.

The kids at the basketball court had long left when Seonghwa ordered an Uber. The whiskey bottle was empty, and most of the windows in the surrounding high-rises were dark. San was feeling warm, both from the alcohol and the presence of his friends, and he let the goodbyes linger as he hugged each of his friends in turn.

“Are you sure you two don’t want a ride?” Hongjoong asked. He was swaying lightly on his feet, and Seonghwa supported him with a steady grip around his waist.

San tugged Jongho into a hug despite his cousin’s weak protests. “It’s just a fifteen-minute walk.”

“Okay. It was nice meeting you, Wooyoung-ah”, Seonghwa said, and Hongjoong nodded, head tilted sleepily against his shoulder.

“It was. I hope we’ll meet again.”

Jongho nudged Seonghwa and began walking backwards toward the parking lot. “We need to go. Bye hyungs!” He stumbled and turned around, and Hongjoong and Seonghwa’s laughter echoed in the empty park.

San watched them until they reached the crest of the slope. Wooyoung leaned into his side, and San’s arm wrapped naturally around his shoulders. Wooyoung took San’s hand in his when they began walking in the opposite direction, back toward the lake, making sure that San didn’t move away.

“Your friends are really nice. I wish I could meet them again after this.”

San hummed in reply. He wished it too. They walked along the wooden pathway lining the lake. The clouds had cleared, and a few stars were visible despite the light pollution, reflecting in the dark water with the full moon.

“You know”, Wooyoung said and squeezed San’s hand gently, “I’ve only got eyes for you too.”

San’s feet stumbled a step. “What?”

“You heard what I said.”

“But I don’t—” San stopped. He raised his arm over Wooyoung’s head and let it fall between them, hands never letting go, and faced Wooyoung. “What do you mean?”

“Do you remember that night we met?” Wooyoung smiled, and San wondered whether this was the first time his eyes held so much fondness for San or if San simply hadn’t noticed earlier.

“In Seoul?”

“Yeah. You told me that you’d show me the time of my life.” San didn’t remember saying it but nodded anyway. Wooyoung chuckled. “I know you meant it just as a sex thing—and the sex has been amazing, don’t get me wrong—but really, this whole week has been like nothing else in my life.” Wooyoung took a deep breath, and San had to remind himself to breathe as well. “I know running away from the wedding, and getting into your car—getting into your bed at the end of my bachelor party—I know I was an idiot for doing all of that. But I can’t regret any of my dumb decisions when they lead me to you.”

For a second, San was speechless, and then the words poured out of his mouth all at once.

“I don’t either. I don’t regret any of it. And I wish you could meet my friends again, too. I wish I could tell my mom that you’re my boyfriend. I wish that my pillows smelled like your conditioner because you sleep on them every night, and that I’d never have to pick anyone up at the club again because I’d have you to—”

Wooyoung interrupted whatever was left of San’s sentence with a deep kiss. He tangled his fingers into San’s hair to hold him close. His other hand still clutched San’s, and San pulled him closer and parted his lips and poured all his feelings into the kiss, knowing that Wooyoung felt the same. San wished that he’d never have to stop kissing Wooyoung.

When they needed to breathe, they still stayed close enough to share the air. San let his forehead rest against Wooyoung’s and listened to the pulsing in his ears. He could feel Wooyoung’s heartbeat against his chest, beating in time with his own.

“What do you want to do now?” San asked, voice breathy and close to laughter. “I could get a couple of days more off work. We could still go to Jeju. Anything you want.”

“That sounds wonderful but”, and when Wooyoung took a step back, San’s heart might as well have stopped beating. The warmth was still there in Wooyoung’s eyes, but the smile had disappeared from his lips. San clung to his hand. “I can’t, San-ah. I’ve got my family waiting for me, and my friends, and Suwon. Going to Jeju would be amazing,

but now, I think—I want to go home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun dun dun.
> 
> idk if i've mentioned before, but this fic was loosely inspired by the premise of season two of 'the end of the fxxcking world'.
> 
> just one chapter left! how are u feeling? are u excited?
> 
> i'm not sure what i'll write next. i've been wanting to write a woosan animorphs au o(≧▽≦)o lmk if that's something u would read.


	13. Chapter 13

The warm smell of coffee and the careful click of the front door closing woke San up. Outside, the sun was still climbing, blocked by grey highrises, and what San could see of the sky was bright blue. Without dislodging Wooyoung’s arm resting on his chest, San reached for his phone. The clock was barely past eight, and he had a message from his mother sent a couple of minutes ago to let him know she’d be gone for an hour.

San put his phone back on the bedside table and rested his cheek on the pillow to look at Wooyoung.

He knew that once Wooyoung woke up, it would only take a few minutes for his hunger to catch up with him and drive him out of bed. He’d stay sleepy for a moment, cuddle up to San, and then get to his feet, full of energy as if recharged, and bully San properly awake with a grin. Usually, San loved it, but this was their last morning together, and San didn’t want to hurry it to an end.

So as carefully as he could, San slunk out of the bed. He picked up a shirt from the floor so that he didn’t have to walk around in just boxers before tiptoeing out from the room. In the doorway, he glanced back to find Wooyoung still asleep and exhaled in relief.

The kitchen was empty, the Sunday paper open on the table and the coffee pot half-full. His mother was out on a walk with the neighbor. She’d probably return in an hour or so, dressed in a colorful tracksuit with her cheeks red and hair windswept. Until then, San and Wooyoung had the apartment to themselves.

The fridge was mostly empty, and San didn’t want to take too much time or make too much noise with pots and pans, afraid that Wooyoung would wake up and spoil the surprise. He poured two cups of coffee, placed them on a tray, then cut two pieces from the left-over cake. He stole a white carnation from the bouquet on the window sill and stuck its stem through the handle of one of the mugs to prop it up.

When he returned to the bedroom, Wooyoung was awake, watching San enter with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He sat up on the bed, covers pooling around his hips, combed his fingers through his unruly hair to get it to settle. A wide smile spread on his lips when he spotted the tray.

“What’s this?”

San placed the tray on the nightstand and sat down next to Wooyoung. “Breakfast in bed. For you.” San took the carnation and placed it behind Wooyoung’s ear.

“So cheesy”, Wooyoung mumbled. A blush dusted his cheeks, and his gaze was fond when he touched the flower. “What does it mean?”

“I don’t know”, San admitted and grinned when Wooyoung chuckled. He handed Wooyoung one of the plates and settled against the wall to enjoy his own. “Hopefully nothing bad.” It had been from one of the funeral bouquets, but the flowers couldn’t all be about mourning and loss. Though that too, San thought and pushed a spoonful of cake into his mouth, wouldn’t be inappropriate either.

Wooyoung sipped on his coffee, always too impatient to wait, and grimaced when it burnt his tongue. San put his plate down and crawled over to kiss the lingering pain away, and once he started, it was impossible to stop.

“I thought we were having breakfast”, Wooyoung mumbled against San’s lips, hand coming up to hold San close.

“We are”, San replied and took Wooyoung’s plate to move it out of the way. The spoon clattered to the floor, but neither of them cared enough to pick it up. Wooyoung carded his fingers through San’s hair.

“What about your mom?”

“She’s out. We’ve got”, San glanced at the clock, “at least half an hour.”

“Let’s make the most of it then. Good thing I already got started.” Wooyoung nipped at San’s bottom lip with a grin, and the covers slipped off when he hooked his leg around San’s. With the way he devoured San’s mouth, San couldn’t ask what he meant, but it was obvious enough when he stroked his hand down Wooyoung’s side and across his ass to find his hole wet with lube.

“What a rude boy”, San said and pushed in one finger easily. “I leave you alone for a minute and you do this.” He added another finger making Wooyoung’s breathing hitch.

“I had to keep myself warm somehow”, Wooyoung grinned.

“Well, then, don’t stop on my account.” San removed his fingers and distanced himself from Wooyoung’s lips.

Confusion crossed Wooyoung’s face, but when he swept the covers aside his smile was back, self-assured and teasing. He pulled the lube out from underneath the pillow and coated his fingers before reaching behind himself. Wooyoung’s jaw dropped in pleasure, and San admired the lean lines of his body before fixing his eyes on Wooyoung’s face, holding his gaze when he began working himself open for San.

“Hyung…”

“Not today, Youngie-yah. I want to hear my name.”

“San-ah. Take your shirt off, San-ah. I want to enjoy the view too.”

San tugged his shirt over his head, kicked his boxers to the floor, and shifted closer until Wooyoung's side warmed his skin. He couldn't keep his hands to himself, not when Wooyoung was spread out next to him, gorgeous and writhing on his own fingers. San brushed his thumb over Wooyoung's nipples then bent down to kiss them when Wooyoung shuddered.

"So pretty, Youngie-yah."

"Yeah?"

"The prettiest. I've never seen anyone prettier."

"San-ah." His name came out more a moan than a word. San kissed a path along Wooyoung's chest to his neck and to his mouth. His lips tasted like coffee and his tongue like whipped cream.

Wooyoung pulled out his fingers and pushed San's shoulder. San fell onto his back, and Wooyoung straddled him quickly, slightly out of breath and hair a mess. San gripped his hips to steady him when he sank onto San's cock. 

"Always feel so good, San-ah", he groaned and stilled to wait until the stretch was comfortable. San's fingers clenched, digging into Wooyoung’s skin, and his mind buzzed static with pleasure.

Wooyoung was gorgeous working himself on San’s cock. San couldn’t keep his hands in one place, running them over Wooyoung’s body, from his clavicles to the clenching muscles in his stomach and down to where San’s cock breached him.

San wanted to remember all of it, commit every detail to memory so well he'd never forget the softness of Wooyoung’s skin under his hands, the sound of his breathy moans punched out with every thrust of San’s hips, the way his nose scrunched up when San's cock brushed against his prostate.

Without pulling out, San rolled them over. Wooyoung scratched his nails down San’s back and swallowed San’s groans. San sank as deep as possible with every thrust, his whole body tingling with pleasure, and his mind clouded with emotions, with love and desire and the fear that this was the last time he’d ever feel like this.

The love bites on Wooyoung’s neck were mere shadows of the dark blue they’d been, and San stroked his finger along Wooyoung’s throat raising goosebumps in his wake. He leaned in and pressed his lips to the pebbled skin.

“Don’t”, Wooyoung panted, “San-ah, I don’t want—”

“I won’t”, San mumbled and kept his kisses light, used his tongue and not his teeth to trail a path back to Wooyoung’s mouth. “This reminds me of our first night.” San increased the force of his thrusts, grabbed a stronger hold of Wooyoung’s shoulders to keep him still when he fucked him harder. Wooyoung’s question got caught in his throat, turned into a wordless moan. “Not getting to leave marks on you.”

“Don’t w-want him to see.”

“I understand. But I don’t like it.” San could feel his orgasm approaching, and he snapped his hips faster to chase it down. His mind was overwhelmed with the pleasure and with Wooyoung, Wooyoung everywhere, so he didn’t catch the words before they were past his lips, growled against Wooyoung’s, “You’re mine.”

Wooyoung came with a loud moan. He squeezed his eyes shut, but San couldn’t look away, not even when he reached his own climax. Even when his hips stilled, his heart kept racing, and San dropped his forehead to rest against Wooyoung’s. Wooyoung opened his eyes and tilted his chin up to kiss San, satisfied smile on his lips.

“The coffee is probably cold by now.”

San chuckled, relieved Wooyoung was willing to ignore his confession.

“There’s more in the kitchen.”

“Later.” Wooyoung kissed him again, inhaled to say something more but before he could, they heard the front door open. He froze, and San groped around for the covers to pull over them in case his mom decided to check up on them.

“Boys”, she shouted, “get up and have breakfast with me before you leave!” Her steps passed the door without stopping. San breathed a sigh of relief and met Wooyoung’s eyes. Wooyoung bit down on a laugh and shoved San’s shoulder lightly.

“You heard her. Let’s go before she comes in.”

San’s mother had picked up pastries on her way back, and they ate them in the kitchen, sipping on fresh cups of coffee. San had moved his chair next to Wooyoung’s so that their thighs were pressed against each other under the table, and if it had been anyone else in the room with them, San would have gladly ignored them.

“I hope San brings you the next time he visits”, San’s mother told Wooyoung while they put their coats on. San watched Wooyoung hug her, and swallowed down his useless hopes before he could vocalize them.

When he hugged his mother goodbye, she whispered, “Take care of yourself. And Wooyoungie too.” San nodded into her shoulder and forced a smile when they parted so that she wouldn’t worry.

Getting back on the road was nothing like it had been when they’d been carelessly driving toward Busan. Now, whatever imaginary relationship they’d been living the past week, one in which they were the only two who mattered, felt like something tangible being left behind. San couldn’t pretend any longer, not with the numbers on the road signs to Seoul getting steadily smaller.

Halfway to Seoul, Wooyoung turned his phone on and called home. He began with his mother, whose berating San could pick up on even from the driver’s seat. The call with Yeosang seemed to be easier, and Wooyoung even smiled when he hung up. Then he took a deep breath and called again.

He said, “Hello Suwon-hyung”, and San’s heart dropped. He couldn’t hear what Suwon said on the other end of the line, but the soft tone of Wooyoung’s voice had him white-knuckling the steering wheel.

“I’m coming home. Two hours, a little less. Yeah. I’m okay. We’ll talk when I get there. See you soon. You too—Bye.”

Wooyoung sighed deeply and put his phone away, tilted his head to look at San. San kept his eyes on the road, afraid Wooyoung would be able to see the heartbreak in them or maybe that San would swerve them off the road if he saw the same in Wooyoung’s. Wooyoung took San’s hand off the steering wheel and interlaced their fingers.

They held hands until they arrived. Wooyoung guided San to an expensive neighborhood and to a glittering highrise. San stopped the car and waved away the valet who approached them the moment they pulled up. Seeing where Suwon lived, the kind of life he could give Wooyoung, made San feel hopeless. How could Wooyoung ever choose him?

San wished that Suwon would come out so that he could fight him for Wooyoung; he wished Suwon would stay inside so that San wouldn’t have to face him, afraid to find him perfect and undefeatable.

“Don’t look so miserable”, Wooyoung said and turned San’s head to face him with a warm palm on his cheek. “I don’t want to remember you like this.” He stroked his thumb over San’s forehead to smooth out the wrinkles, and as always, San did what Wooyoung wanted him to.

“But you will remember me?”

“Don’t be so dramatic.” Wooyoung unbuckled his belt and leaned over the gearbox to press his forehead against San’s. “Of course I will.”

Kissing Wooyoung came so easy like it was something San had done his whole life. He breathed through his nose so that he wouldn’t have to pull away, memorized Wooyoung’s scent, memorized the softness of his lips and the way he smiled even as his tongue caressed San’s. He memorized it all because he’d never get to kiss him again.

When they parted, Wooyoung’s hand on San’s neck lingered. Wooyoung glanced out the window toward the entrance, and San didn’t go in for another kiss.

“You should go. He’s waiting for you”, he said instead. Wooyoung nodded and reached into the backseat for his bag. San would have said goodbye, but it was probably too dramatic, so instead, he faked a light, “I’ll see you around.”

“I’ll see you, San-ah.” Wooyoung smiled, then opened the door and got out of the car, and then he was gone.

San flicked on the lights with a sigh. It felt good to be home and to finally be alone. He wouldn’t have minded being alone with Wooyoung, but he refused to entertain that thought. He opened a window and headed to his bedroom. He knew his fridge was empty so he’d have to go to the store still, but right now he only wanted to crawl under the covers for an hour or five.

San’s bed was wide enough for two to sleep in. San stared at it and questioned whether it had always looked too spacious for just him. With a shake of his head, San dropped his bag on the bed and began unpacking.

He tossed his clothes in the direction of the laundry hamper until he pulled out the t-shirt Wooyoung had borrowed before they’d gone shopping. Maybe it didn’t need a wash yet? Maybe it still smelled like Wooyoung.

San stared at it and realized that it was all he had left. Wooyoung had filled San’s life so completely for a week, it was jarring to be reminded of how he really didn’t exist in it at all. San would return to work tomorrow, to his old friends and colleagues who knew nothing about Wooyoung, and he’d continue his life as if he had never met him. San didn’t even have Wooyoung’s phone number, just a ratty t-shirt and blurry pictures on his phone.

San threw the t-shirt into the laundry hamper. He pushed the bag onto the floor and fell onto the bed, resolving to continue later once his hands stopped shaking and his eyes weren’t full of tears.

Two weeks without Wooyoung did nothing to lessen San’s longing for him. San had hoped that maybe his infatuation would disappear with a return to routine, and that he’d only thought he loved Wooyoung because he’d needed someone and Wooyoung had happened to be there. But the days passed, and he still fell asleep missing Wooyoung, still woke up thinking about him, and looked for him everywhere he went.

The beating of the club’s music was usually enough to drown out San’s thoughts. He mixed the drinks with practiced ease, and his smile was infallible, but he still hadn’t been able to fall into the easy flirting with the customers that used to get him all of his tips. Even now, with a girl in sharp heels and gorgeous eyes lingering to chat with him, he turned to the next customer as if she wasn’t trying to lure him into bed after his shift.

“I think you pissed her off”, Yunho said with a laugh while he poured two beers. San glanced after the woman and shrugged.

“She’s not really my type.”

“She’s not Wooyoung, you mean.” San had told him all about the week in Busan over too many drinks a few days after his return. Yunho placed the beers on the counter and patted San on the shoulder. “You’ll forget about him eventually. Nail the job interview tomorrow and find a pretty someone to celebrate with, and you’ll be back to normal.”

San wasn’t interested in a normal that didn’t include Wooyoung, not even if he got the job that would finally let him put his degree to use. But he kept his mouth shut and nodded. Yunho strode over to the other end of the counter, and San turned around to pick up the next order.

It took his head a few seconds to process what his heart realized in a beat. Wooyoung. Wooyoung, warm smile on his lips, diamonds glimmering around his neck, and eyes fixed on San. Wooyoung.

“Hi, San-ah. I missed you.”

San closed his mouth and swallowed. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”

“Why not? I told you you would.”

“I thought it was just… something you said.” San cleared his throat, customers and drinks and work forgotten. Wooyoung laughed and reached across the counter to slap San on the chest. San stepped closer.

“Idiot”, Wooyoung’s voice dripped with fondness, “How could I stay away when I love you?”

“You—”, San stared at him, and warmth spread through his body. The pulsing neon lights seemed brighter, and the song playing was one that they’d been singing along to in the car on the way to Busan. All of this San realized, but clearest of all that Wooyoung loved him. “I was sure you’d—what about Suwon?”

Wooyoung’s smile dimmed, but when San reached for him, Wooyoung clutched San’s hand in both of his. “It wasn’t easy, but he understands. But I didn’t want to leave him without an explanation. That’s why it took me some time to come back. I’m sorry you had to wait.”

“No, it’s okay. It’s okay now that you’re here.”

“Good. Well, aren’t you going to say it back?”

“Say what?”

“That you love me.”

“Oh.” San pushed himself up on the counter and laughed when he pressed his lips against Wooyoung’s. “I love you too.” He kissed him between each word, then repeated the sentence twice more. When he dropped back down, Wooyoung giggled, and someone whistled. People were probably staring, but San only had eyes for Wooyoung. “So what do you want to do now?”

“I want you to take me home”, Wooyoung’s smile grew more blinding, “and this time, I promise I’ll stay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE END~
> 
> i want to thank my beta and everyone who has left kudos and comments <3 i've loved talking to all of u and hearing ur thoughts, it's been the highlight of writing this. for some reason, i struggled with this fic, whether bc of the fic itself or bc i haven't emotionally been in the best place the past months, but i'm so so happy with how this turned out in the end. i hope all of u r too <3
> 
> u can share this fic on [tumblr](https://madhattermatadore.tumblr.com/post/190827101271) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/thetamburlaine1/status/1229314499469021184)
> 
> if u liked this and want more, i've started writing another [dumb woosan au](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23981830) ヽ(*⌒▽⌒*)ﾉ
> 
> leave a comment to let me now if u enjoyed the ride, then go and do something stupid that makes u happy <3

**Author's Note:**

> if u enjoyed this and want to thank me, u could buy me a [coffee](https://ko-fi.com/tamburlaine) ♡
> 
> u can also find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/thetamburlaine1) ♡


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